Gods & Monsters
by wannabewonderbender
Summary: He will burn her but not before she drowns him. Katara is the Fire Nation's only hope at getting to the Avatar and Zuko is desperate to restore his honor. He doesn't know that she can manipulate more than just water. She knows nothing about him except his fire. What both of them don't know is that their destinies will make them Gods and Monsters. [AU]
1. Chapter 1

**Rated: **M (violence, depictions of torture, some language, and future sexual content)

**Disclaimer: **This is for funsies only. I don't own the characters. Did manipulate the lore and their personalities a bit though.

**Notes: **Slight OOC & AU

-/-

The world is fire and ash. The Fire Nation has successfully conquered the Earth Kingdom and massacred the Air Nomads. Raids have obliterated all but two Southern Water Benders. The Northern Water Tribe and Ba Sing Se are the only places the Fire Nation has not touched.

Only a few are strong enough to fight back against the Fire: the small resistance made up of the few remaining Southern Tribe warriors, Northern waterbenders and unorganized bands of Earth guerrilla fighters. The imbalance is slowly corrupting the land.

But the Avatar has returned. And with the Avatar, his Guardians rise as well.

Perhaps all hope is _not_ lost.

-/-

Another fire whip lashes across her back. Pain – the feeling of burning and ripping skin makes tears bubble at her eyes and she squeezes them closed. Katara will _not _cry in front of them. She will _not_ cry here. Behind her, she hears the movement of the Fire Nation soldier and her back tenses automatically just as another lash tears across her copper colored skin.

She bites her tongue to hold back the screams. The faint taste of blood fills her mouth just before her body heals itself and the wound is sealed.

"Tell us where the Avatar is," Zhao's disgustingly false sweet voice fills her ear and she opens her eyes. He's standing in front of her. She sees the disgust behind them; the hatred of her and her kind mingles with the sick pleasure he is getting from her on her knees in front of him completely at his mercy.

Katara spits at him. There's still some blood in her mouth that she hasn't swallowed down yet and she bends it so that it hits him square in the face. "_Never_," she hisses in between her teeth. Then she laughs because they are fools if they think she can't take a little pain. This – while excruciating – is not even close to other tortures her own kind had inflicted upon her.

Zhao stands. The smile wipes away from his face, replaced by something cold and hard. He reaches up to wipe the spittle from his face and his eyes darken with irritation. Zhao strikes out at her fast as a cobra – his palm rubbing her own spit back in her face before he slaps her hard.

His hand is gripping her hair and he's yanking her head back so that she's forced to look up at him. His eyes are like ice; hers burn like fire.

"I will break you." He warns her. His control is slipping. Not only can Zhao feel it, but Katara can see it. And if she can see it then his crew can as well. He can't afford to look weak now… the waterbender cannot get the best of him after he failed to capture the Avatar when he was _right there_.

A smile snakes across her lips. "Run back to _Ozai_ with your tail between your legs and tell him how you failed. You're better off killing me so that I won't send you and your crew to a watery grave."

Zhao stares at her. His grip tightens in her hair and she's sure she can feel the pull of him ripping it out. She refuses to even flinch. Pain is something that she can accept.

He pushes his hand against her head so that she looks down again when he lets go. The Captain moves around where the waterbender is tied up in between two poles. Her arms are outstretched, clasped in metal and her hands useless to summon up any sort of bending.

A smile crosses his own lips – sick, twisted at the corners – when he sees that her back is tensing. The fabric of her blue Water Tribe clothes are ripped and stained with blood from both the whipping and the earlier attack on the Water Tribe ship.

Her waterbending blood has already healed most of the lashes. All that's left is faint pink scars and dried blood.

Zhao steps forward and grips the neckline at the back of her Water Tribe robes. He pulls, Katara tensing and tugging away from his grip, and _rips_. A jagged tear goes down the center and he tosses the frayed ends to the sides. Now, her skin is exposed completely.

Katara feels the cool air of the sea blowing against her bare back and shivers. She's naturally used to the cold – she is from the Southern Poles, after all – but the blood speckled across her back and the healing skin's hypersensitivity to the elements amplifies the chill.

She wrenches at her metal clasps but they don't give way. Clenching her jaw again, Katara tilts her chin up and forward, bracing herself against the wooden floor for another round of lashing by spreading her knees out just a little. Her legs are starting to get a little sore.

"Pity," Zhao says from somewhere behind her. "I would have hoped that we would have to take care of you after this; but it looks like you are already doing that."

"I wouldn't have let any of you touch me," she retorts angrily and she means it. She silently dares any of the men to lay a hand on her. She will drown them before they can even blink; she will boil and freeze their blood as they scream in agony before she clenches her fist and makes their veins explode.

Zhao seems to ignore her attempt at fighting back with words. "We'll just have to try a little harder to mar that pretty skin of yours." He turns to look at the firebender solider that's been whipping her. "Stop when she is no longer able to heal herself."

He looks back at the waterbender just in time to see her entire body go stiff with a sharp inhale. That sickening smile spreads across his face and he steps away to allow the bender ample enough room paint her back with searing slashes and blood.

-/-

She's coiled up on a pallet in the cell when she first recognizes the efforts of her body trying to heal itself.

Three hours. It took the firebenders three hours of repeated, uninterrupted lashing before her body finally caved from exhaustion and could no longer heal.

She had collapsed against the chains after the first hour; didn't even bother holding back her screams after the second. Zhao had gotten what he wanted and she had passed out as soon as they had unchained her from the posts.

Katara winces as her body naturally tries to reach into her energy reserves. She hasn't been able to soak up the moon to restore herself and Zhao hasn't brought her any water or any other sort of liquid that she might be able to use to revitalize her body.

The moon is in the sky though. She can tell despite the fact that there's no window and it's dark in the cells deep within the ship. Katara can still feel the pull and it's almost painful that she isn't outside to soak it all in. When she was on the Water Tribe ship, she slept outside so that her body could absorb the moon's power.

Now all of that storage was depleted after a mere three hours on a Fire Nation ship.

She probably should be proud of herself – despite the fact that she is a little angry that she had given up on the deck earlier, she can't dismiss the fact that it took them _three hours_ to wear her out and even then she hadn't said a word about Aang or Sokka or her dad's ships.

Still, the taste of a defeat is bitter in her mouth. Not only had she been captured but she had let them take away all of her bending energy. Katara lifts her hand to try to draw out some moisture from the air but she's so tired that her hand barely gets wet. She was almost defenseless now.

There's some energy left deep within her blood. She can feel that, at least. It was the only thing she could hold onto while she was tied between the posts. But she will only use that in a dire emergency. If she uses it now, she's not sure if she will be able to remain awake long enough to do any sort of damage to the ship or crew.

Katara struggles to sit up, wincing at the stiffness of her back and tries not to rip open the wounds as she does so. Her body may be low on energy but the healing in her blood has managed to scab over the wounds enough so that she doesn't have to worry about ripping them open if she is careful.

Her biggest concern is infection. She's been able to treat burn wounds well enough when she was on her own ship but now that she doesn't have a healer and her body isn't reliable at the moment, she's a little skeptical about how it's going to go. Especially since she's down in the dirty lower levels of Zhao's vessel. This place can't be that clean.

If her wounds do get infected then that's going to be a problem all on its own. Her body will focus its energy on clearing that out rather than building her strength back up again so that she can fight her way out of here.

She's still dressed in the pathetic remnants of her Water Tribe clothes. They're ripped, bloodied and her entire back is exposed except in the areas where the fabric has stuck to the blood. She's cold – chilled and her skin feels clammy and dirty. What she wants to do is take a nice shower to clean off the stickiness of blood but she knows Zhao will burn himself to death before allowing her to be that close to her source of power.

Katara starts playing with the end of her ragged braid. If she could just gather up the strength, she's sure that she can get out of here. Zhao is too easily controlled by his emotions and his failure at getting to Aang really messed him up. He's volatile, which makes him either really irrational or very dangerous. She hasn't really decided which it was yet.

Too bad Sokka wasn't here. He would be able to team up with her to really get into Zhao's head and then they would really have a chance to get out and go back to Aang so that –

Katara hears the sound of the cellar door opening and her hands freeze on her braid. She pauses, listening carefully and hears the sounds of several pairs of heavy boots on the steps. Carefully but as quickly as she can manage, Katara slides on the floor so that she's lying down again.

If they see that she's awake and well enough, they may give a repeat performance of earlier.

Someone has a fire in their hands. Katara lies on her side so that her exposed back doesn't touch the dirty floor but still tries to look down through the cell door to the outside. There are some shadows on the crates on the wall opposite her cell: four shapes, tall with Fire Nation topknots.

They step into her line of sight and she closes her eyes, feigning sleep. It's something that she's become good at. Otherwise, she would have been the one to swab the deck every morning rather than Sokka.

Katara hears a key being twisted and the door to her cell creaks open. Hands grip her arm and she's hauled up. Her eyes fly open and she instantly starts wiggling. She will _not_ let them touch her –

She's backhanded across the face and she sags against the soldier holding her up.

Her legs start flying. She's kicking, bracing herself against the man who's still holding her and she fells his other hand grip her wrist as he pulls her backwards until the two are up against the wall.

"Don't _touch me_ you –" She's snarling.

"_Stop_ tribeswoman." The soldier behind her hisses into her ear but she keeps squirming. One soldier manages to catch her ankle – she's getting sluggish, fatigue making her eyes spot and she's already sweating – and she kicks another in the head before that ankle is latched onto as well.

Now's she held up completely by three firebenders. In a cell. With her clothes falling off her body. Her body is shaking from the exertion but that doesn't erase the scowl that's on her face and the heated warning in her eyes.

It takes a lot of energy to find a man's heart but she's desperate and –

They're walking out of the cell. Her body is comically held out between the three men. They hold her as if she weighs practically nothing but she can tell that her relentless fidgeting isn't making their job any easier.

"We're not going to touch you if that's what you're worried about." The soldier behind her says with an almost disgusted tone in his voice. Katara's almost insulted.

"You're _touching_ me now," she reminds him and tries to wrench her wrists away from him. She would need to take out the two holding her legs first then the one behind her and the one that's in front of them. Maybe if she tries really hard she can do it.

He scoffs behind her. She kicks her legs and manages to push her boot into the chest plate of one of the soldiers.

Katara is a little worried that they're going to drop her on purpose as they walk up the steps. She's still not sure where they're taking her, and there's an uncomfortable feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that worries her. Surely they're not…

She gets her answer when they turn towards the back cabins rather than the front. She knows enough of the layout of the ship to know that's where Zhao is, though knowing that's where the soldiers are taking her isn't any more comforting.

Her legs are set on the ground but before she can start lashing out again, the man behind her cuffs her wrists with metal at the small of her back. She immediately starts tugging at them.

"If you don't behave, we'll cuff your ankles too," he warns her low in her ear and she jerks away from him.

When she shoots him a glare of her shoulder, he's smirking, clearly amused at her and she turns back around. If she could bend, that smile would have split his face clean in half. Who would be amused _then_?

But she can't bend. Katara needs to save her strength for the dire situations. Being taken to the crew was definitely one of them. Being taken to Zhao…well, she can take on man if she can get her hands on a weapon. He doesn't seem like the type of man who would rape her. He hates her too much.

Still, she isn't disillusioned. She's on a ship full of soldiers who could overtake her in a moment now that she is too tired to bend. Being a prisoner comes with _perks_ like that. Katara's also from the Southern Water Tribe, a nation known for their shapely and beautiful women. She wasn't blind to their glances earlier. Now that her clothes are half-falling off and her bindings are the only thing really keeping her from being exposed, she isn't sure _what_ the men are thinking.

Nor does she really want to know either. They can have their daydreams and fantasies. But if they so much as touch her…

Zhao's door is opening and the soldier behind her nudges her forward. Katara notices that he doesn't touch her back at all even though he _could_ and she's a little grateful. Her skin is still oversensitive and she's had enough painful moments for the day.

The first thing that she notices when she's in the room is that Zhao isn't alone. There's a young man, maybe a year or two older than her seventeen years standing off to the side. When she comes in, his eyes don't automatically go to her but she knows that he's aware of her presence. He stays facing Zhao who's sitting behind his desk.

"If that isn't the Avatar that just came in, I'm not interested," the young man spits out. Zhao glares at him, and then looks back to Katara. She holds her head up high and straightens her back.

"I already told you, Prince Zuko. The Avatar –"

"_Got. Away_. Yes, I know of your incompetence. What I _don't_ know is why you're bringing this prisoner to me when I instructed that I wanted to see the Avatar and the Avatar only."

"Your attempts at humiliating me are weak. You've been searching for the Avatar for as long as I have. Yet, I am the only one who has managed to take someone _close_ to the Avatar." Zhao motions to Katara.

_Prince Zuko_ finally looks at her and she meets his stare unflinchingly. She's not going to back down from the petulant man. Sure, she's not the Avatar by any means. But Katara knows her importance. This man – boy, child, _whatever_ – is stupid for not understanding that at all. Zhao may have failed, but he isn't foolish. It was why he kept her alive.

Katara notices that the Prince could be handsome… if not for the scar that covers his left eye and the top of his left cheek. His hair isn't in a topknot and he's not dressed in royal robes. But there's haughtiness and self-assuredness that screams _royal blood_ and an unpleasant taste fills her mouth.

Ozai's son.

"She barely looks alive," he notes, his gold-colored eyes washing over her form fleetingly. "What importance is she to the Avatar?"

"She's his girl."

"I am _not_." This time she's more than a little insulted. Aang and she had been strictly platonic – there was _nothing_ romantic and it was unnerving how many times people assumed differently.

The Prince quirks an eyebrow. "So they're close?"

"Obviously." Zhao stands and steps from behind the desk to walk towards her. Katara stands her ground but she draws herself to her full height, switching her attention from the idiotic Prince to the Captain before her. "The Avatar will be looking for her."

He reaches up to tuck loose stands of her hair behind her ear and she has to force herself to not jerk away.

"He won't." Katara says. "The Avatar won't fall for any trap that you try to set. You're better off throwing me over the side of the ship and keep trying – _failing_ – to catch him."

"Is she a waterbender?" The Prince asks. "You should take her to the Rock if she is."

Instead of answering, Zhao grips the fabric of her clothes and makes another rip at her lower right hip. The skin etching sign for waterbenders is there plain as day in the light of the torches that illuminate the room. Her etching has always been a badge of honor – it's strictly a Water Tribe thing – and she naturally puffs out her chest a bit like Sokka does when he catches a fish.

"Barbarians," Zhao murmurs low and lets go of the fabric. Her etching is still exposed and the two men are still looking at it. "Marking up such _beautiful_ skin."

Katara notices that the Prince's eye flicker from her scarred-over skin to Zhao.

"The Rock it is," the Prince says.

Zhao's head snaps to Zuko. "And give up our one advantage over the Avatar?"

The Prince shrugs and Katara wonders if that scar on his face messes with his brain. "She already said the Avatar won't come looking for her. What's the point of keeping her around?"

"Oh, Prince Zuko there are _plenty_ of other reasons to keep someone like her around other than to be used as bait –"

"Lay _one hand_ on me, Zhao, and I will make sure that you will _never_ lay hands on another again," Katara hisses, anger flashing in her eyes. She will _never, ever_ be used like that. It's not the worst thing that can happen. But _still_. Zhao – he _disgusts_ her. If he so much as tried to do something like that, she would have no second thoughts or regrets about killing him in the most agonizing of ways.

Zhao gives her an amused look instead of replying to her.

"The Fire Lord would rather her be put in the prison. You cannot keep her here as a slave unless he allows it. You know how he is with female captives; if there is an interest in one, he'd rather see her for himself before he makes a decision."

"Yes, I know very well how the Fire Lord works, _Prince_. There is no need to try to educate me on the matter."

"Besides, from the look of her I'd say she wouldn't last more than a few more days. You don't take good care of your prisoners, do you Zhao? Just _look_ at her."

Zhao stiffens at the insult. "An interrogation technique –"

"Did it work?"

The Captain pauses. Katara smiles.

"I didn't think so."

"How I deal with my captives is none of your concern." There's a new bitterness in Zhao's voice. Something about the Prince's accusations is setting him on edge. Maybe this Zuko isn't as much of an idiot as she originally thought. Actually, she quite _likes_ –

"It is my concern when the captive is an enemy of the Fire Nation. I request that you hand her over to my ship so that I can insure that she makes it alive to the Rock so that her interrogations might actually have results."

– Never mind. She rather hates him.

"It was _my_ crew that captured her. You just want to lure the Avatar for yourself by using her as bait!"

"Whether or not the prisoner is even close to the Avatar is up for debate. The Fire Lord would rather have the captive interrogated correctly and efficiently at the Rock before we try to lure the Avatar into a trap that could more than likely be a waste of time and possibility."

"She's _my_ prisoner."

"Since you two _clearly_ are not going to come to a compromise, might I suggest a third option? You two could preserve the peace and just let me go. I don't want to be the cause of such a large disagreement like this."

Katara swears that she sees the corner of the Prince's lips perk upwards for a scant second before the calm, stoic demeanor takes over again. "She's not just _your _prisoner, Captain. She's the Fire Nation's." The Prince pretends to ignore her comment.

Zhao steps directly in between her and the Prince. Katara's eyes narrow – she doesn't _need_ to be protected like she's his property; but that's what he's doing. He's acting as if she really is his to deal with as she wishes. She supposes this is sort of correct – he did capture her and she is in his ship as a prisoner – but _still_. It's more than infuriating.

"You're not going to take the one chance I have at capturing the Avatar away from me," he hisses to the Prince. There's real malice in his voice and for once, Katara is actually a tad frightened at that.

"She isn't just your chance, Captain. She's the Fire Nation's –"

"_I don't care._ Where was the Fire Nation this afternoon? Where were they when I was able to track down the Southern Water Tribe ship and capture the Avatar's close friend? The Fire Nation is not responsible for this capture – _I am_. So it is my right and duty to deal with my captive as I see _fit_. It is my responsibility to the crown to track down the Avatar. I will do so with the help and cooperation of my prisoner."

Katara inches back a step.

Prince Zuko is quiet for once. Katara wonders if he's as worried about Zhao's temperament as she is. There is nothing on this world more frightening than a man who is so dedicated to his duty that it drives him mad. She's seen it happen before. It rarely ends in happiness.

"Very well." The Prince says but there's something about that that strikes her odd. He's not _really_ giving up even though it sounds like he is… "Look after your captive, Captain. I hope that she is able to survive your _interrogations _long enough to give you the information that you want."

He walks briskly past her, his eyes flickering to hers for the briefest of moments and she sees something strange in them. It's like what was in his words. The Prince sounds like he's giving up but she can see and hear that he really isn't.

Katara's alone with Zhao. His back is still to her. He's stiff, large fists tightly clenched at his sides and she can see that he's staring at the wall in front of him. She's tried to shut down all of her waterbending abilities to conserve strength so she can't tell how fast his heart his beating or how quickly his heated blood is rushing through his body.

Then again, she isn't too sure that she needs waterbending in order to be able to figure that out.

There are a few tense, awkward moments of Katara waiting for Zhao to turn around and… dismiss her or something. She's just staring at him and making notes of his posture – stiff, hardened and he's wearing his anger on his body like he had earlier on the deck. He really should try to work on that.

When he does turn around though, Katara can't help but flinch. His eyes are as angry as his body and they're so dark even though they should be gold. It doesn't take him but a single step and an outstretched hand to grab at her. She can't even dig her heels to slow herself down as he hauls her up against his body, hand tightening around her throat and her eyes widen.

His nails are digging into the sides of her neck and she's sure that he's going to kill her as she gasps for breath – This wasn't how she was supposed to die. She's a _warrior_. She shouldn't die with her hands behind her back with a man's hand around her throat – he's _squeezing_ – and she can't _breathe_ and it _hurts_ and she's –

– Zhao lets go and she drops onto the floor onto her knees. She almost falls forward completely but she manages to catch herself as she sucks in delicious, cool air. Her chest racks with coughs from the sudden intake and her eyes are burning with tears.

She can feel him staring down at her. He likes this. Seeing her kneeled in front of him. But he's a _coward_. Both times that he's hurt her have been with her hands tied and when she can't even fight back. If she wasn't restrained when he attacked her, even the Spirits wouldn't be able to save him.

He shifts and lowers himself down so that he can look her in the eyes. His hand grips her chin tightly and he yanks her head up. She coughs purposefully in his face. Zhao doesn't even flinch.

"You will tell me where the Avatar is hiding one way or another, waterbender. You have the power to make it as painless as possible. Just know that no matter what you do, I _will_ get the secrets out of you."

Katara doesn't have to try very hard to muster up the hate that shows through her eyes. "You're just going to have to kill me, Zhao. I'm not telling you _anything_."

"Oh I believe you will. I can be very persuasive when I need to be." A sick smile spreads across his face. "What you experienced this afternoon? That was only to wear you down. It was _only_ the beginning. I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Good. Because I have a few tricks of my own to share."

He slaps her. Katara's head whips to the side and her loose hair falls in her face as she sucks in a breath. She sort of expected it, but that doesn't stop the pain blossoming at her cheek even though she smiles a little in victory. She got to him.

"This will be a lot easier if you just cooperated."

Katara flips the hair out of her face a she looks back at him. "You could just cooperate with me and let me go. I'm not telling you anything and quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of having to explain that every time we meet."

Zhao exhales harshly through his nose. She anticipates another slap but he surprises her by standing. She prepares herself for a kick, but again, he moves away to sit behind his desk again. Katara gets a foot underneath her and rises as well with some difficulty but she manages it.

The guard that's been tucked away into the corner this entire time comes forward. She jumps a little when he grabs her by the arm but she lets him tug her around and back towards the door.

Zhao's door closes behind them and she lets herself take in a deep breath. If the guard notices, he doesn't point it out and she doesn't even put up a fight as he takes her back down to her familiar cell. Her metal clasps are taken off before she's put inside her cage. She immediately begins rubbing at her sore wrists as she kneels down on the pallet.

The guard locks the door and she falls back, lying on the metal floor with only the thin, worn and dirty pallet to provide some cushion. Katara waits for a few seconds, then sits up and looks at the guard who is still standing at her cell door.

"You really should make this easier on yourself," he says. "If you cooperate… Zhao might treat you better. You're only causing yourself more harm by prolonging the inevitable."

Katara rolls her eyes and lies back down. "Why do you care, firebender? Shouldn't you be enjoying my pain?"

"I enjoy no pain. Especially pain that could be avoided."

She has nothing to say to that so she doesn't speak.

"I'm just saying… You haven't seen Zhao when he's interrogating someone. I have. Maybe you should take my advice." He's gone then and she blinks into the darkness.

No. She will never talk. Not to Zhao – not to _anyone_ who will harm the Avatar or her other friends.

She will die first.

-/-

You know what makes chapters come faster? Reviews! Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you want for Christmas, favorite type of pie or whatever! Just let me know you're here and I'll let you know that I'M here. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Posting this sooner than expected but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, right?

First, some housekeeping.

I've upped the ages of the characters in this story by _two-three_ years. Katara is 17, Zuko is 19 and so on so forth. I tried to write it with their original ages but found that I have literally no talent for writing from the perspective of a fourteen/fifteen year old girl even though I was one at one time. (_Not_ something I want to go back to _at all_. Awkward middle school years.)

The characterizations of the characters are going to be different from how it was explored in the show. Don't worry if you think they are too OOC - there _is_ a method to my madness and everything will be explained as more backstory is discovered and we get all comfy and cozy with our characters even if they are not. **This is an AU.**

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to drop it in the review or in a PM. I'd be more than happy to address any concerns or q's. I'm here to serve so use me as you will.

Now on to the story... _(which is what you really want, right?)_

-/-

The guard returns for her the next afternoon.

She's waiting. It's later than she expected, but she knew that Zhao was going to send for her.

He pulls her up by her arm and she goes willingly even though she's somewhat stronger than she was last night. Sleep had done her well even though her body is so parched and dehydrated that it's ridiculous. Her blood is sluggish in her veins, her vision darkening around the edges. If she doesn't get some sort of drink soon, she isn't going to last much longer before she passes out.

The guard is patient with her as she stumbles a little when he leads her out of the room. She can feel the renewed strength in her muscles but she's just so _parched_ that she can't do anything. Katara practically has to lean her entire body on him when they go up the stairs.

"Make it easier on yourself," he repeats to her, gently tugging her up the last step.

She blinks in response. Her mouth is so dry and her throat is sore from Zhao's attempt to strangle her yesterday that she's not even sure her words will be coherent. Why waste the energy? But she does manage to pull away from him enough to support all of her weight on her shaking legs even though he's still basically holding her up with his hand wrapped around her upper arm.

He doesn't take her to Zhao's room like she expected. Instead, she's lead outside onto the deck. The sun is so bright and low in the sky that she immediately closes her eyes and shies away from it. There is one good thing to being outside though – the ship is moving quickly and there's sea spray that goes everywhere. A few drops land on her skin and her body soaks it up instantly.

Katara is pushed down onto her knees again but her hands aren't pulled out from her sides. They don't chain her – she can't escape or bend and they know it. Her body is still too tired and dry from healing herself repeatedly the day before. She'll need more than a night's rest to recover.

When she finally feels able to open her eyes, Zhao is smirking that _infuriating_ smirk of his. Her fists curl in and her nails dig into her skin. He's so _maddening_.

She hasn't made a move to attack and the guard that led her here finally steps away. Katara _wants _to make towers of water from the ocean that surrounds her; she _wants_ to drown them and destroy their ship with a sweep of her arm and the flick of her wrist; she _wants_ to push Zhao into the deepest part of the ocean so that no one will ever find him again.

But she can't. She's forced to sit here: dry as bone with her hands itching at her sides to make the violent images in her mind a reality. It's the most annoying, exasperating feeling in the world and she can't help but feel so helpless and vulnerable.

She _will_ drown them all.

"Your back has healed itself completely, I see," Zhao walks around her. Her back is exposed to the sun and the wind – but it's also absorbing in the sea spray that still splashes near her. She's only able to catch a few drops but those drops will add up and give her an energy boost, at least. They're more idiotic than she thought if they keep her out here on the deck for much longer.

"The night in the cell worked a number on you," he stops in front of her. "You look and smell even worse than you did last night. I would offer to give you a bath but… well, we can't have you try to drown me, now can we?"

"So you do have a brain," she croaks, unable to pass the chance to see that flicker in his self-control. She probably shouldn't goad him but she can't help it. It's too tempting. He responds so well. If she can make him look weak in the eyes of his men there's no telling what will happen.

Zhao doesn't take the bait though and she doesn't see much more than a flicker of anger pass in his eyes before he's steely again, putting the smirk back on like armor and she realizes just how much she hates him.

He steps forward. Katara watches him carefully, and her body stiffens when she sees a bit of malice in his stare. The pain will come soon.

The Captain reaches around to put a hand on her exposed back. She stiffens at the touch, tilting her head back to glare at him. What was he –

– searing pain rips through her body and Katara can't help but scream. He's _burning_ her – boiling her skin with fire in his hand pressed right against her skin. She _screams _and _screams_. Her throat is raw and she chokes, tears flooding her eyes as she drops down to the floor on her hands and knees. She can't move – can't rip away from the pain even though it hurts _so bad_ and she can taste the fire licking the entire inside of her body.

Katara lifts a shaking hand to push him away but he steps down on it. Her fingers are crushed under his boot and her back is _burning_. She's in so much pain that she can't breathe, can't move, can't _think of anything but the pain_. It hurts _so much_ – and it's not stopping. She's not sure how much more she can take and her vision is swimming in red and black and she can feel the burns deep inside her like her whole body is on fire. Everything is red and orange and it _hurts_.

Zhao removes his hand and she collapses on the floor in a heap, her arms too weak to hold her up any longer.

She can't move. Her back is still throbbing with agonizing pain and her whole body is heated as if she walked through a furnace. The tears on her cheeks are hot and evaporate into steam when they touch her skin. Katara can't hold back the sobs that catch in her throat while her body shivers uncontrollably on the ground. It was like all of the fire whips combined and amplified at once.

She's in so much _pain_.

Zhao steps off of her fingers but she doesn't even try to move them. She's sure they're broken, but right now her focus is on her burned back and how her entire body feels like a smoldering volcano.

He bends down to touch her again. This time, it's her arm. She jolts at the touch of her fabric before she screams again. The flames travel throughout her body to the pulsing of her heartbeat and she can't help but cry out in pain over and over and over again. Her heart beats and the flames are pulsated outwards in an excruciating rhythm that makes her want to die right then and there just so it will stop.

He's burned clear through her Water Tribe sleeve and the fabric either evaporates or drops to the ground beneath her. Zhao squeezes a bit tighter and the flame – and pain – intensifies. A mangled sob forces its way out of her chest and before she can stop herself, she's _pleading. _She's _begging _him to stop and she doesn't even care. All she wants is the burning to stop and the pain to go away.

Zhao lets go but she's still flaming. Her body is being broiled from the inside out and she can't do anything to stop it. All she can do is lie there, take the pain and cry.

"Where is the Avatar?" Zhao demands. His voice is eerily calm, as if he didn't just nearly kill her with fire.

By the time this is over, she _will_ kill him.

Katara can't do anything but groan. She can't even move, much less open her mouth to speak.

"_Where is the Avatar?_"

"I –" She breaks off, unable to finish what she was going to say. She's so dry and in so much pain.

A fire whip cracks across her back and she jerks.

"_Where_ is he?" Zhao's voice is becoming strained. His 'interrogation technique' isn't working. Katara is still boiling and crying on the metal deck of the ship. Not even the salt spray helps her anymore. Zhao has burned everything in her away.

Katara winces – drawing herself away from his as much as possible. Her back pulses in pain at the movements and she instantly stills. It's _too much_. She's experienced pain like this before – but she was so unprepared… and it hurts so much…

Zhao grabs her unburned arm and picks her up off the ground. Fresh, steaming tears fly down her cheeks as her burning body is jostled. His hand is hot and uncomfortable against her arm but he's not burning her. _Yet_. She isn't sure how much more she can take.

"I'm going to give you _one_ more chance, waterbender," Zhao hisses into her face. "_Where. Is. The. Avatar?"_

The anger ebbs into his hands and she's being burned again – this time by accident. But it's just enough to send her body over the edge. It finally _is_ too much.

Her vision goes black and before she knows it, she's slipping into darkness and the agony no longer exists.

-/-

Katara comes to in her cell. She's face-down on the pallet. Her body still burns but it isn't nearly as bad as it was before. There's a splitting pain in her head that makes her clench her eyes shut even though it's just as dark in the cell as it is in her mind.

Before, she thought she felt dry; but now that seems nothing in comparison. She's been boiled and her insides feel cooked like she's been roasted for a meal. What she wouldn't do for a glass of water right now…

She shifts her shoulders to get more comfortable on the floor and winces. Her back feels like it has lava running through it. Moving is too painful right now. She can tell that it hasn't been able to heal itself. That's a little worrying – if her body hadn't been able to focus its efforts on a severe injury, she must be pretty parched. She _really_ needs water fast.

"I'm supposed to tell Zhao when you wake," a familiar voice says – the guard's – and she wants to look to see where he's standing but knows that will only hurt. It doesn't matter anyway. It's so dark that she probably wouldn't be able to see him when she opens her eyes.

Her throat hurts too much to muster up a reply. She's surprised she can even manage to swallow.

There's some rustling behind her. Katara waits, wonders what he's up to just before she can feel the tug of her blood backwards. It's seeking what it desperately wants and she knows that it's near – _water_. Before she can start begging for him to share, her chin is being cupped in a firm, warm hand and her head is tilted further up and to the side. It's uncomfortable, but the blessing sensation of cool water being poured into her mouth and down her throat more than makes up for it.

It's not a lot, but it's more than enough to quench her immediate thirst. She's no longer on the brink of death. She's just close to it.

She finishes the cup and then there's another. Katara nearly cries with relief but she holds it back. Wasting precious water on tears won't do anyone any good. The guard is risking a lot by giving her water – after the first, she could probably bend the other cup and kill him. She can snatch the keys from his body and get out of the cell.

But her need for water far outweighs her desire to escape right now. Her body is so dry that it's far past the point of being uncomfortable and is downright painful.

She drinks it easily and soon that cup is emptied as well. The firebender set sit down near the other and she hears him shift back. He's still near. She can hear him breathing.

Curiosity overwhelms her and she opens her mouth. "Why?" It's all that she manages to force out, but even that takes so much of her energy that she resolves it will be the last thing she says until she recovers a bit more.

Katara's eyes are still closed so she misses the gentle shrug of his shoulders. "I don't like pain. Especially unnecessary pain." She lets that sink in for a moment before he continues speaking. "Zhao's getting careless. He nearly killed you out there."

She wants to ask him why he even cares but she stops. Does _she_ really care? All that matters is that _he_ does. Katara feels a bit uncomfortable that it is a firebender who is saving her life; but right now all that she's trying to pay attention to is the fact that it's a _firebender_ bringing her _water_ so that she can _survive_ so that she can tell someone where Aang is.

She never will though. His hopes and actions are amounting to nothing and will eventually work against him once she regains her strength. She might hesitate before killing him, but that is all that he will gain from his acts of kindness.

"I was going to bring you some food but I figured you needed the water more." Katara can hear him shift up against the wall. She wants to thank him – but then she remembers that he's supposed to be the enemy. She can't thank someone who ultimately is just being kind to her in exchange for something else.

Silence settles between the two. Katara wonders when he's going to tell Zhao that she's awake like he's supposed to.

Her head is still pounding.

Katara hears him shift again. "Zhao will be more controlled from now on, I think. A lot of the crew isn't happy with the fact that he almost killed you today. If Zhao does that then the whole crew will be punished. You're the closest we've come to getting an upper hand over the Avatar."

She won't talk. She never will. It doesn't matter if the whole crew brings her water and food. Her lips will be sealed and she'll drown them instead. They're not going to get their hands on Aang even if she has to die to ensure that.

But she is glad to hear that Zhao is losing the trust of his men bit by bit. If she can drag this out for a little longer – make him lose his cool little by little – then she's sure he will lose control entirely. It would be easy and gratifying to watch him fall. Especially with all that he is doing to her.

Katara hears something odd… She stops breathing for a moment, straining her senses to reach out to the ocean and _feels _it.

There's another ship nearby.

A moment after she realizes that, there's commotion overhead. She can feel the vibrations of the metal ship as soldiers run overhead. They're panicking. Their hearts are beating so fast and their blood is moving so quickly that she doesn't even have to try to reach out. She's a burned out waterbender and she can still feel the fear that's being felt above her. _They're panicking._

There's a smashing sensation against the ship and the metal hums. Katara's eyes snap open.

They're being attacked.

The soldier at her side rises quickly. "This is going to hurt but it's the only way to get you out of here."

She opens her mouth to protest when he flips her over. The pallet scratches against the sensitive, burned flesh of her back and she cries out. He murmurs something that she can't make out as he scoops his arms underneath her knees and her back.

His metal bracers dig into her skin and she lurches forward. He almost drops her, swearing and grips her tighter.

"Please," he says to her as he kicks the cell door open. Apparently it's been unlocked the entire time. "You have to trust me. I'm not going to hurt you. Just stay quiet and don't move."

He sounds so earnest and Katara sighs. Their ship is under attack and each shattering sensation against the side of the boat jostles the two around when he tries to get them up the steps. It's painful, but not unbearable.

So, for some reason Katara decides to trust him. She wraps her arms around his neck and steadies herself against him. She grits her teeth to fight the pain. When he feels her body stiffen against his, he gives her a small, thankful smile before he runs up the steps with renewed vigor.

Katara always knew she was light but she didn't know she was _this_ light.

There are soldiers running everywhere. Most are heading to the deck to combat the attacking ship, others are going off to the sides where she knows from experience are where the cannons are. Katara's arms tighten around him. She isn't sure what's happening.

He stays mostly to the shadows. Most of the men are too deep into the chaos to realize that the two of them are in the hallway. They're hidden well enough, she supposes, but she can see that even if they weren't, no one would be able to pay them too much attention regardless.

The ship's been hit strongly by something and the guard's shoulder and her back smacks the wall harshly. His arm soaks up most of the blow, but she still whimpers at the sensation and curls away from it.

He pushes away from the wall and starts running towards the deck. Her eyes widen when she realizes where he's going. They're heading straight for the line of fire! What –

– There is no fight when they get to the deck. The vibrations of the ship have stopped.

Zhao's men are all on their knees in front of a line of other similarly dressed Fire Nation soldiers. Zhao himself is kneeling in front of… _Prince Zuko_? He was the one attacking Zhao's ship? Katara's eyes whip around – her headache long forgotten – and she tries to figure out just _what_ is going on.

The Prince himself now _looks_ like a prince should. His hair is up in the topknot and he's wearing the royal robes. His face is blank yet there is a tension there that's evident in the tightness around his good eye and the line of his lips. Katara notices that for once, he looks... _intimidating_.

"You endangered the ability of the Fire Nation finally capturing the Avatar." Prince Zuko is saying. The guard carrying her steps closer to the two and Katara looks between the Prince and the Captain. "You nearly killed the _one chance_ we have at tracking him down. You single-handedly nearly destroyed the best lead we have. For that, you _will_ be punished."

Zhao is sneering. Katara notices that his arms are behind his back, held by soldiers who have his palms flat against his fabric-covered body. He can't firebend without seriously injuring himself first.

"I will take custody of the captive _and_ of you. You are now under arrest by order of the Fire Lord. Your trial will take place in the Capital and you will face your punishment for your dishonorable, treasonous behavior."

Zuko turns away from Zhao and goes back to the platform that is connecting both ships. The guard carrying her follows him and Katara looks over the man's shoulder to see Zhao glaring at them both.

"_You think you will take this chance away from me so easily? I_ did this! _Me_ – Me alone while you were far behind! Now you are trying to make _me_ look like the dishonorable one because _you failed while I was successful_." Zhao is spitting he's so angry – his body is jerking in the soldiers' hands and Katara's arms tighten around the guard's when she notices that they're having troubles keeping him sedated.

"_Me_ – It's _me_ who's winning this race and _you're _stealing _everything away from me_! Do you think I'll just let you_ go?_ Do you think that? Well I _won't_!" Katara sees it before it happens – his arms rip free from the soldiers - he's free from his bonds - and he's forming fire in his hands –

– _No_, she's not going to die here. She's not going to die by Zhao's hands on the deck of some Fire Nation ship. This is not her destiny – _she_ _will not die here _–

– Katara lurches free of the guard and she's on the floor –

– He's completing a form and a wave of red-hot fire is coming towards her –

– Katara uses every bit of strength she has left to form a wave of her own. One of water and ice and she slams it into Zhao's –

– They collide but Katara's wave drowns his and then Zhao himself. He's washed away from the force. His body falls to the ground and he's hurled into his kneeling guards before slamming his back against the walls of his ship.

Katara sways on her feet. She's… She's so tired…

She feels herself falling and someone's there to catch her. Her back burns and she's bone dry again. Black and red spots fill most of her vision and she's only aware that she's being picked up again. This time, she barely registers the pain blossoming in her back or the blood running down her nose.

She doesn't slip back into the blackness. She hangs onto the light as much as possible. In the dark she can't figure out what's going on like she can in the light.

She opens up her eyes long enough to see that it's the guard who's carrying her and she closes them again as her head pounds but she doesn't go to sleep. Katara makes tight fists were her hands are lying on her stomach to make sure that she stays awake.

Katara isn't aware of where they're going. But she _is_ aware of softness underneath her and the sound of a door closing. There are footsteps, three hearts beating in the room. She's lying on a bed; someone gently pushes her over so that she's on her stomach.

"Why isn't she healing?" Katara recognizes Zuko's voice. It's very distinct – raspy and low like he's sick.

Gentle fingers touch the burns on her back and arm and she winces. They're gone immediately.

"Zhao dried her up," the guard that carried her explains. "He's kept her away from any kind of water and he used fire both times he interrogated her. I managed to slip her some when she was in the cell before you arrived – it's probably why she was able to bend – but that's it."

Katara feels the water nearby and she sighs in relief. A hand cups her chin just like before in the cell and the sweet relief of water nearly brings tears to her eyes. She shifts, putting one of her hands underneath her so that she can lift up just a tad. Her other hand grips the cup and she greedily takes it away from the guard and gulps down the water herself.

She's finished and the guard swaps her empty cup for a full one. She still hasn't opened her eyes.

"Make sure she stays hydrated. We'll need to cuff her hands so that she won't try to bend and escape."

Katara takes another cup. This time though, she does open her eyes to look at the two men. She doesn't tell them that it's going to take at least a week before she can muster up the energy to even try to launch an attack that large. She rather likes that they're treating her like a threat even if it's going to make her escape more difficult.

"That was an impressive wave for a dehydrated waterbender," the guard compliments her. It's Zuko that she looks at though. He's studying her far too closely; his eyes go from her face to her burned arm. Katara sniffs and wipes the blood from her nose.

Katara moves a little more to get in a more comfortable position. The water cools her heated body down and she can feel herself wake up little by little even though she's still tired. It's a tiredness that won't go away for quite some time though. The past two days had really made an impact on her body.

She has some difficulty swinging her legs over and the shooting pains up her back make her grimace when she tries to twist it. The guard reaches out and helps her, his hands warm on her arms as he gently nudges her to sit on the bed with her legs dangling over the edge.

Another full cup of water is in her hands. "Thank you," she says to the guard and she catches him blush. In the new light, she notices that he's younger than she expected even though there's some grey hair near his face. He's tall and broad-shouldered with fading burn marks around his neck and on his exposed knuckles. He's been a soldier for a long time.

She takes another gulp.

"We need to get you some clothes," Zuko says, a tinge of disgust in his voice, "I can't have you walking around half-naked in front of my men."

Katara looks down at her ruined clothing and sees that her Tribal outfit is in a state beyond repair. She knew the back was burned off, and the sleeve of her right arm is gone where Zhao burned her. There's a long slit where the Captain had showed Zuko her waterbender etching around her waist but that's been stretched. Her bindings are loose around her chest and her leggings are ripped, torn and dirty.

She's showing far more skin than she had ever shown a man before.

Shame makes her cheeks go red and she shifts uncomfortably on the couch. She crosses her arms over her chest, the loose fabric at the back dropping down and revealing the skin of her shoulders. The men notice her discomfort at being so exposed and Zuko quickly turns away. She thinks that he's going to leave when he instead goes to a dresser in the corner. He opens a drawer, digs around and pulls out a long red robe.

"Here," he tosses the fabric to her and she catches it in her free hand. The dress falls down a bit more. "Put this on for now."

She sets the drink down on the small table beside the bed as she pulls the robe over her shoulders. It's softer than she thought. Not quite as soft as her furs and pelts, but it's something that will cover her up and that's all that matters. The fabric does stick to the welts along her back and she bits the inside of her cheek to keep from wincing as she peels it off to situate the garment around her like she wants it.

"Do not think that because we rescued you that you are no longer a prisoner. You still are. You _will_ be interrogated when we reach the Capital." Zuko gives her a harsh look and she glares at him. Of course she knew she was still a captive. They had just been talking about covering her hands.

She clears her throat and picks her glass up again. "I will tell you what I told Zhao," she speaks in between sips. "I will die before I tell you anything about the Avatar."

They can be nice all they want. She's not going to fall for their false smiles and kindness.

Zuko's back stiffens but the guard looks as if he expected that answer.

"Whatever information you give us that proves to be helpful will be rewarded."

Katara narrows her eyes at the Prince. "I told you, _Zuko_. I'm not going to betray him for niceties. My loyalty is worth a lot more than that and the fact that you are even trying to bribe me is insulting."

His nostrils flare and his fists clench. Katara smiles. So, the Fire Prince has a temper too. This will be fun.

"Prince, perhaps we should give her time to recover a little." The guard gives her a glance that she can't quite figure out. She expects that it's one of those warnings that he likes to tell her.

Zuko glares at her for another few moments before he quickly turns away. He all but marches to the door, throws it open and slams it behind him when he leaves. Katara continues to sip on her water as if she didn't just piss off a young man who had her life in his hands.

The guard sighs. He reaches up and rubs the back of his neck, the lines in his face pronounced now that he's frowning. "Prince Zuko is a good man, waterbender. He can be kind if he wants to be. Perhaps you should wise up and use that to your advantage right now."

"I'm not going to betray my friends. I don't care how much of a _good kid_ he is."

"Even if not doing it will cost you your life?"

"My friends have risked everything to protect me numerous times. I'm not going to betray all of that friendship and trust for _him_ – for nice things. Especially when he's just going to throw me in a prison when he's finished with me."

"He might be persuaded to do otherwise if you allow yourself to become an ally."

"The answer is and will always be _no_," she says flatly. "No matter what you and everyone tries to give or tell me. I'm not changing my mind. You should counsel your little Prince to either slit my throat or let me go because you're never going to get anything out of me."

He shakes his head and leaves her. She's finished with her last cup of water. She wants more, but she doesn't think that if she asks she'll get it. So she watches his back as he goes to the door.

"Must everything be difficult?" The guard asks when he's opened the door. He turns to look back at where she sits on the bed.

"Yes." She nods her head. "It must _always_ be difficult."

-/-

Big thanks to those who reviewed/favorited/followed! You guys are the best and I hope you get a big dose of good karma.

Favorite lines? Character concerns? Like the new CoverArt (yay for my semi-okay editing skills!) Want to talk about the fact that it's almost freaking CHRISTMAS and that's awesome? Getting any Avatar gear from Santa?

Not that I'm publishing chapters based on reviews (I'm not going to maliciously withhold until there's a certain number or anything) but I _will _say that they're great motivators. If I see that you like the story, I'll want to write and edit and make it as enjoyable as I can. _I'm _having fun writing, are you having fun reading? If not, let me know so I can help out some.

Don't be shy. I'm not going to burn your back or anything.


	3. Chapter 3

**See bottom for notes. Posting early because it's Christmas so here's my gift to those that actually like this story. (You're the bestest.) :D**

-/-

Katara finds out that the guard's name is Lee.

It's a common name for men of the Fire Nation, he tells her when he gives her a cup of water. She was right that he was slightly older than her. He's actually in his mid-twenties; premature graying is something that runs in his family.

It seems that a night's worth of sleep has made him talkative and he asks her about herself now that he's told her his name and age.

For her part, Katara looks over the edge of the cup at him, her eyes suspicious. She's wearing the robe that Zuko gave her last night even though it's all bunched around her legs underneath the heavy covers of the bed. It was surprisingly chilly in the metal ship during the night.

"My name is Katara," she offers. He probably already knows this – maybe? She can't recall any time when someone did address her by her name but she could just be looking over it – but that's all that she's telling him.

Lee frowns. "How old are you, Katara? You can tell me about yourself. There isn't any ulterior motive here."

Her eyes narrow and she shifts so that she's sitting up against the headboard a little straighter. "Old enough to fight in a war. Why do you care? I'm just a Water Tribe peasant who's also a prisoner. If you're trying to gain my trust so you can get information out of me you're not doing it in a smart way. I'm not stupid."

"No one ever said you were."

"Then why are you trying to act like you're my… my _friend_ or something? You don't like my kind and I don't like yours. So how about you drop the nice-guy image and stop trying to get to know me just so you can throw it all back in my face later on."

She realizes when his face falls a little that she might have been a bit harsh. Katara looks away from him, a tad bit ashamed, and focuses on the clear water in the cup. He _has_ been nice to her… Would it be so bad to have an ally on this ship? She may just need one…

Her eyes go to the empty bowl on the table that had been filled with warm soup a few minutes before. It's sitting right beside a large pitcher of water. He had carried that in just for her. And yet, here she was, lashing out at him when he really _hadn't_ given her any reason not to trust him besides just being from the Fire Nation.

Katara sighs. "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe." There's – that pretty useless information and it's not like he probably doesn't know. He had been in the room when Zhao had cut her dress to show her skin etching to Zhao. It's still an effort though and she hopes that he will appreciate it enough to satisfy his curiosity.

"I've been to the South Poles. It's quite… cold there. Not exactly a place for a firebender." He smiles awkwardly at her.

"You don't say?" She replies blandly. He looks confused for a moment and the thinks back to what he says. Realization dawns in his eyes and he opens his mouth to apologize when she waves it away. "I don't want to hear some half-hearted apology that you probably don't even mean. But you're right: it isn't a place for a firebender."

Katara can only imagine what that means for her new semi-ally. Lee had probably been a Southern Raider before joining Zuko's crew. He had killed, kidnapped and tortured tribesmen and women. People who were, and still are, her kin. It makes her angry and hurt and confused because at the same time she can't really imagine him committing those violent acts that still haunts her memories and sleep.

Besides, if she really wants to make an effort to have an ally on this ship then she can't be thinking of him butchering her kinsmen when they're together. She'll end up drowning him or pushing ice daggers through his throat.

He can tell she's slightly unsettled by the revelation and he stands from the seat that he's pulled close to her bed. Lee clears his throat and soothes imagined wrinkles from his uniform, grabbing the bowl but leaving the pitcher and cup as he turns to leave her.

Lee pauses at the now-opened door and Katara swears that if he apologizes, she will rip him to shreds. But he just glances at her, a frown on his lips and he leaves quickly. She lets out a sigh of relief and reaches to pour herself another cup of water.

Did he leave the pitcher here for a reason…?

She stares at it. It's now only half-full because she's been drinking so much. It's enough to get to the deck. Then she'll have the sea around her to control.

Her palms are itching. She flexes them, squeezing the handle of the pitcher and the cup in her hand tighter as she looks down at the water in the jug. _It's enough to make it to the deck_; but is _she_ strong enough?

No, she decides. She isn't. Not yet. She would pass out from exhaustion before she could wipe out the deck. What use would it be then? The escape attempt would fail and she'd be in an even worse position than she is in now.

Though Katara does have to admit that she doesn't exactly hate where she is now. In comparison with the cell, her new prison doesn't really feel like a prison. There are no windows and the room is small, but there's a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a bookshelf with a few worn books and a chair. The door has a heavy lock and her mattress is a bit scratchy but honestly… she'd pick this over the pallet in a cell any day.

That doesn't change the fact that she's still a prisoner. Katara keeps reminding herself that despite the comfort of her new cell, it's still a cell. It just doesn't have any bars.

Putting the now-empty cup down, she flings the covers off and climbs out of the bed. It's difficult – she slept a lot longer than she had planned and the air is chilly in comparison to being underneath the blankets. She stretches her legs out a little before she stands, groaning at the soreness at her back. Too bad there isn't a mirror in the room for her to see how much it has healed already.

She should look around. Maybe there's something in her new cell that can potentially help her later. The dresser has a few more robes and tunics – they all look secondhand and several sizes too big for her so she assumes they're clean leftovers from the crew – but she is surprised to find a drawer of bindings and other wraps. When she takes a closer look at them, she notices that they're used for healing. She can still use them to replace her tattered bindings though.

Katara takes out a few strips before she moves to the night table. There's a tiny drawer but it's empty when she opens it. The bookshelf has books that have been used so much that the words have been rubbed off of the covers and the scrolls are torn around the edges.

She picks one – a red and gold trimmed one that's so dusty she nearly coughs when she breathes in close to it – and tosses it to the bed. The robe slips off of her body and onto the floor and then her tattered Water Tribe clothing follows. She only has to tug a little for the bindings to tear off.

Quickly because she's worried that Lee or someone else is just going to come in, Katara winds the fresh bandages around her breasts, tightening them down as best as she can. She picks up a black tunic she had grabbed from the dresser earlier and pulls it over her head.

The tunic stops at the tops of her knees but she pulls on a pair of leggings anyway as a precaution. The clothes are big; the tunic practically hanging off of her and the neckline is cut a little deeply but it'll do. She doesn't really have any other choice.

As soon as she sits on the bed and opens the dusty old book, someone opens the door. She jerks her head up, a bit surprised and sees two unfamiliar guards.

"The Prince requests your presence. You are to come quietly if you would like to continue living in comfort." She stands as the guards come in. They take her arms – not roughly but firmly – and lead her to the door.

She doesn't say anything as they make their way through the metal ship. She has no idea where they're going. Unlike Zhao's, this is unfamiliar so she tries to keep track of where they're going for future reference. A few turns and some narrow hallways later – _this ship is rather large _– and they finally stop at a large door. One of the guards knocks before he opens the door. Katara is pushed inside and then it's closed.

Zuko himself is sitting behind a desk. There's an old, grey-haired, plump man sitting in the corner of the room with a steaming cup of tea in his hands. _He _gives her a gentle smile that she doesn't return; Zuko keeps his eyes on the paper that he's furiously writing on.

It's warmer in here than it is in her room. Probably because this room has a large window on the back wall, sun pouring in through the bars that protect it from being broken.

Katara looks at the sun and realizes just how much she misses the moon – _her_ moon.

Zuko places his brush on the desk and he stands; Katara's eyes flicker down to him, waiting for him to speak and tell her why she's been brought down here. He's looking at her new clothes though and a smirk teases the corners of his lips that she wants to wipe away.

"I see you've looked through the room."

"Oh, whatever was it that gave me away, _Prince_?" She can't help but spit out. He looks back at her eyes and she's glad that he's no longer looking at her body even if it is almost indiscernible in the baggy clothes. "It'd be reckless for me to not take inventory of my new cell."

"Looking for weapons?"

Katara shrugs. "Perhaps."

"Did you find any?"

"Maybe," she says with a slow smile.

His good eyebrow quirks up at the comment and the man in the corner of the room chuckles. She keeps the smile on her lips. What she needs to do is find a way to make him tick… Zhao's was his anger, what would Zuko's be? His temper?

"Anything can be a weapon, Firebender," Katara continues. She realizes for the first time that they didn't bind her hands together before she came in here. Did they forget? She shifts her hands behind her back to keep them from view just in case they did.

The movement doesn't go past Zuko's notice. "If you don't try to bend I won't have your hands bound."

"Not a very smart move." Maybe it's not his temperament – maybe it's his recklessness.

"You're in a room with two Master Firebenders in the middle of a ship with dozens of other firebenders. I'm not exactly worried about _you_, Waterbender."

Her eyes narrow. Was he _trying_ to insult her? "Maybe you should be. I'm not exactly a novice myself. I _did_ help train the Avatar –"

She stops herself. No – she will _not_ speak about Aang here. Katara straightens up and looks at the Prince blankly. He's smirking at her now though, pleased with her little slip-up. It's not exactly groundbreaking information, but he managed to get her to talk. At the very least, he now knows that she's somewhat close with the Avatar.

Zuko has managed to get more information out of her than Zhao ever did. And they're only _talking_.

"Perhaps the Waterbender would like a nice, heated bath?" The old man offers. He's still smiling. "Or maybe a nice cup of tea?" He gives Zuko an expectant look. The Fire Prince sighs and shakes his head.

"I don't want your tea," she spits out. She knows the game they're playing – she figured it out a long time ago. They're not going to win her over with nice acts and beds and baths and _tea_.

The two looked unfazed. Zuko seems to have expected the answer. "It wasn't really an offer. The bath, however, _is_. Zhao didn't exactly…keep you in good shape. You'll need to heal your back so that you won't get infected, too. We don't have the time for you to get sick."

He really _is_ reckless. Allowing a Waterbender a bath when she's a captive? Does he know the effect that will have on her strength and bending? Being allowed to soak in the water will replenish a lot of her lost strength. It won't be the same until she sees the moon again, but she won't be weak anymore. Especially with the constant supply of water and food being brought to her by Lee.

Zuko's stepping around the desk and walking towards her. She stays her ground, refusing to back away even though his eyes as hardening with each step. He's right in front of her – she has to look up a bit to meet his eyes because he's so _tall_ – and she doesn't even flinch when he starts to speak.

"You will be supervised and if you are caught trying to bend or escape I will prove to you that I can be just as cruel – maybe even _crueler_ – than Zhao was. Do not test me on this, Waterbender. You have no hope of escaping."

"That a fact, _Prince_?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." Zuko bends down to her ear, grasping onto her arm so that she can't back away from him. "Try to test me if you want. I've always wondered how quickly a Waterbender could burn."

Katara is scowling at him when he straightens up and steps away. She jerks her arm out of his, glowering at his completely blank façade as a guard enters the room. Other hands are on her, pulling her towards the door but she keeps her stony eyes on him until she can no longer see him.

She _will_ freeze him in a dome of ice so frozen that even his fire won't save him.

-/-

The bath is more than nice. She sits in the water for what feels like hours. When it turns cold, it doesn't bother her; she's just so glad that's she's finally _one _with her element that nothing matters. Her skin turns pruny and her hair dries in thick tangles because she doesn't comb through it with her fingers but she really could care less.

_Water_.

She feels the energy rush into her body the moment she steps into the tub. Katara feels her back healing as soon as she's in. It feels divine – she's no longer having to reach deep into her stores of energy to feel the rush and calmness that the water brings her.

The fact that the only thing separating her and a female guard is a black screen doesn't even bother her. After living on a ship for about a year, modesty is something that Katara has all but abandoned. When it comes to other women, at least. Being exposed in front of men is still semi-taboo to her.

"All right, Waterbender. Let's go. You've been in there long enough."

Katara jumps in the water as the guard bangs on the screen. Well _that_ was rather rude.

She grips the sides of the tub and pulls herself out of the tub reluctantly. There's a towel on the floor and she dries off, then wraps it around her body. She would put back on the clothes she had earlier but even though they might still have been clean, she shudders at the thought of putting her own filth back on.

They don't come across any other soldiers on the way back to her room – _thankfully_ – and when she gets in, she quickly wraps herself in some bindings and pulls on a fresh tunic and leggings. Black, of course. She eyes the reds and oranges disdainfully and slams the drawer shut with a bit more force than necessary.

Katara puts on the black slippers that the female guard had given her – after she reminded her that they were hand-me-downs just like the rest of her clothes – but manages to find a pair of black socks first. She plops down on the bed, hair slightly damp but hopelessly tangled and opens up the book. She reads while her fingers work through the knots as best as she can without a mirror. When she's finished with that, she braids and re-braids the ends just to eat up time.

The tides tell her that it's dusk when Lee comes at her door to tell her that it's dinner time. She shuts the book filled with mostly poetry written by people of the Fire Nation and climbs off the bed.

"You look… better," he tells her when he's leading her down the hall towards the kitchen. "Clean. You _smell_ clean, at least."

"Thanks, I guess?" She laughs a little. "You look the same as you did this morning. Very Fire Nation soldier-y."

Lee runs a hand down the front of his armor as if he forgot that he is even wearing it. "I guess that's a good thing then considering that's what I am."

The kitchen is larger than she expected but it also doubles as the cafeteria. On the Water Tribe ship, meals were always eaten on the deck so that waterbenders could absorb the moon and they could all listen to the water. It was as if they were closer to home when they were out there.

Quite a bit of the crew is seated around long, rectangular tables and they all look at her when she goes in. Even without the Water Tribe clothes, she's clearly an outsider. The baggy clothes, the thick and wavy brown hair, the darker skin and the blue eyes loudly proclaim not only her heritage but the fact that she is also a prisoner. Not that they were unaware of her presence on board anyway.

Katara wonders if the Fire Nation has any superstitions about women being on board war ships like the Northern Water Tribe does.

Lee doesn't say anything else to her as he leads her over to the plates and drinks. He hands her a tray with a plate of fruits, bread and a piece of meat, a glass of what smells like ricewine in the corner. Katara quirks an eyebrow as she looks at the food, her stomach rumbling, but she manages to follow him to a relatively empty table in the far back.

She saves the fruit for last. It's such a delicacy to her people that it's almost _strange_ to know that she's able to eat not only a mango, but a pear and a pomegranate as well. She wipes the juice with the back of her hand and she's finished quicker than Lee is.

There's a knife on her plate. It's still a bit dirty from when she was cutting the meat and the fruits with it but still… it's a _knife_. Katara tries to eye it without showing Lee what she's thinking. If she could just sneak it back to her room… she could use it just in case she ever needed it. Zuko's apparent kindness could be fickle, and if it ever comes down to a brawl she'll need it.

Katara stands and picks up the tray. "Where should I take this?"

Lee finishes swallowing a bite of his papaya. "Don't worry, I'll take it."

"You're too kind. Seriously, just tell me where to take it. I don't like other people cleaning up after me when I'm more than capable of doing it myself."

"I can respect that." He nods and points to the other end of the room where there's a large basin. "Just put it in that. The cooks will wash it if we stack it neatly. Try not to break anything."

"I think I can manage that much," Katara turns away and goes to where he pointed. She tries to ignore the stares but even she's not impenetrable to scrutiny. Was it something about Fire Nation soldiers that made them think staring was totally acceptable?

She angles her back so that no one can see that she takes the knife and slips it up her sleeve.

Her tray is in the bin and she thinks about just how easy it was when a hand snatches her wrists before she can move away. Katara launches into attack mode – her other arm swinging for his head but the soldier ducks it easily. She goes for a kick instead and this time she doesn't miss. He's hurled away from her, landing on the floor a few feet away from her.

Chair are scraping across the floor as people stand. Some even make a move towards her and Katara drops into a defensive stance. She can't take all of them now – but she damn sure will try. She's not going to be cowered into giving up just because she's in a damned _kitchen_ of all places.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_" Lee is quick to step between her and a firebender who was moving closer to her at a quicker pace than the others. He stops – Katara doesn't rise. The knife is still in her sleeve, sticking to her skin while her wrists and arms are up, palms itching to start bending.

"The bitch attacked me! I was just going to warn her to empty the plate of scraps before she puts it in the bin!" The soldier she had kicked whines as he gets up from the floor.

"You _grabbed_ me and didn't say _anything_!" Katara retorts defensively.

He scowls at her. "Don't worry. I certainly won't be trying to help you out again."

Lee looks over his shoulder at her and she frowns. Was he just trying to help her? She was sure that he had seen her take the knife.

"Everything's all right just… go back to your meal. The waterbender will be leaving and we –"

"She owes him an apology!"

"I don't owe _anyone _anything!" Katara snaps.

The firebender steps forward. Lee steps in between them again so Katara twists so that she's glaring at the man. "I'll _make_ you apologize, water peasant."

"I'd love to see you try you inbred lump of coal." Katara shifts lower into a stance, smirking when she sees the firebender's cheeks burn red. She waits for the first movement of a bending.

Lee grabs her arm though and he hauls her – practically running – towards the door. Katara has no choice but to let him pull her along. She still scowls though and punches him so that he lets her go when they're far enough away from the kitchen.

Katara yanks down the tunic that's ridden up. "What was that for? I had everything completely under control." _The knife is still in her sleeve._

Lee looks at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? _That_ was under control? You almost got yourself killed!"

"I could take him," she growls and starts walking back towards her room. She recognizes the hallway as hers.

"Maybe. But what about the next one? And the one after that? And then the one after that? Did you think that if you won that fight it would have stopped then?"

Well, she had assumed that… Wait, no, she hadn't. Katara pauses with her hand on the handle and chews on the inside of her cheek. Yeah, she really hasn't thought about the others' reactions to her fighting with the firebender.

She doesn't even look back at Lee as she quickly escapes into her room, shutting the door behind her firmly so that he won't come in. She wouldn't be able to stop him, but he doesn't seem like the type of guy to just barge in.

Katara really _did_ sort of act restless out there. But what was she supposed to do? Let the man grab her? No – that was _not_ going to happen.

Maybe her little display, however ill thought out it had been, would show others that she was not going to just sit by idly. She would fight back if they laid a hand on her. She wasn't some puny little prisoner. She was a _waterbender_ with the blood of the firsts Southerners in her veins. She was strong; she was powerful; she would _fight back_ just like her people had been doing for the past one hundred years.

Katara takes the knife out from her sleeve and wipes it on the inside of the tunic so that it's clean. Slipping it under the pillow, she sits back on the bed and reaches for the book of poems again. Knowing that the knife is close by helps ease her mind a bit. She hasn't had much experience with weaponry because of her bending but Sokka had showed her a few things.

All she had to remember was to stick them with the pointy end. It wasn't an art for her like bending was. If she had to use a knife, she was in desperate need for survival so she would use it like the tool it was.

Her fingers slipped through the pages but her mind, for some reason, was on the knife under her pillow. She had killed men before – drowned them, froze them, stopped their hearts and done other terrible, _horrible_ things all in the name of war and survival. But stabbing a man?

Why was it making her stop and think? Stabbing was just like drowning – and she had no problems doing that to those her threatened her or hers. Sokka had always poked fun at her violent nature when it came to protecting those closest to her. She wasn't practically avoided on the Northern ships just because of her gender.

_So why was the idea of stabbing someone so difficult for her?_

She can't pinpoint it, exactly. There is the idea that it's bloodier, but that doesn't make sense because she trained with _Hama_ for Sprits' sake. That, and the fact that she's a pretty decent healer immediately crosses out the idea that she's afraid to get actual blood on her hands rather than on the ground.

Perhaps because it's an actual weapon? Maybe. But that's sort of far-fetched too.

Katara slides her hand underneath the pillow to pull the knife out. The book settles forgotten in her lap and now her entire focus is on the cool piece of metal in her hands. It's not very sharp. The edges are dull and she should probably try to sharpen it before she actually uses it so that it would be effective.

She lets her fingers glide over the smooth edges like she had seen Sokka do when he was sharpening his own sword. She catches a glimpse of her reflection but she doesn't look at herself for too long.

Why – Why does this… kitchen utensil make her so unsettled? She knows that she needs it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken it in the first place. Katara _needs_ to be able to protect herself. If her bending fails then she will literally have nothing but her wits and her fists and she's not Sokka. She can't get herself out of those situations without her bending like he can.

She puts the knife back where it will stay for now: under her pillow. She'll need to tie something around her thigh so that she can hide it underneath her tunic. Or she could put it underneath her leggings. There is the odd chance that it will get jarred and fall though, so she throws that idea out quickly. There's no telling what will happen to her if they find out she has a weapon with her, even if it is a puny kitchen knife.

But that will be a thought for tomorrow. Katara settles against the headboard and draws her legs up to her chest so that she can prop the book on her knees.

She tries to forget about the knife underneath her pillow. It stays in the back of her mind until she's finally able to fall asleep much, much later.

-/-

**A/N: I hope everyone had a lovely holiday! All of the support is greatly appreciated :) Every single review, favorite and follow inspires me to keep writing so thank you.**

**Just hope I don't disappoint y'all.**

**Stay awesome and have a safe holiday week!**


	4. Chapter 4

The fact that Lee brings her breakfast isn't surprising. She _did_ cause quite the little scene the night before and she isn't quite sure if she'll even be allowed back inside the kitchen again. It's a shame, really, and she _almost_ regrets defending herself against the soldier. Her room is still a prison despite the fact that it resembles a bedroom and she wouldn't mind getting out.

After she thinks that is the exact moment that Lee _does_ get her out of the room.

This time, he cuffs her hands with the metal brackets. "If you hadn't acted like that last night…" He's sighing and she can hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Sorry for defending myself." She doesn't sound the least bit sorry. Katara tugs at the cuffs to test their strength and Lee looks at her almost as if he's asking for her approval. Katara quirks an eyebrow. "If you're wondering, yes, they're a bit tight. Perhaps we can ditch them altogether if I promise to be on my best behavior?"

Lee rolls his eyes. He turns away but she doesn't miss the small smile on his lips. He doesn't have to grab her arm to lead her out of the room; she follows dutifully enough down the familiar path. They're heading towards the bathroom in one of the spare, empty rooms that looks like it should be a place where someone serves tea.

He takes off the cuffs but grabs her arm before she can slide into the bathroom to go about her business.

"No funny business, Katara. I mean it. Zuko's being nice by letting you have privacy but I'm sure he won't hesitate to take that away if you act out against him again." Katara stares at him until he finally lets go. She doesn't speak or do anything until the door is closed behind her and she's alone in the bathroom.

The _nerve_. Of course it's all another part of their little game they're playing. Zuko's going to be the nice guy so that he can ease her into giving up more information about the Avatar. Well she _isn't_. It's going to take more than private baths to change her mind and if the Prince can't see that then he's downright idiotic.

Katara scoffs as she sheds the tunic. Her eyes and hands pause for a moment when she sees the knife strapped to the inside of her leg where she had managed to put it when Lee had left to refill her water pitcher.

Checking over her shoulder to make sure the door is closed, Katara slips it out of the elastic fabric she had tied around her thigh to keep it there and folds the weapon inside her tunic. She quickly sheds her leggings and toss them on top just to make sure.

She takes a bath as quickly as possible, her eyes constantly flickering between the door and the pile of her clothes next to the tub.

When she's done, she quickly dresses and slides the knife back around the inside of her thigh. It's unfamiliar there but she figures that she'll get used to it. She doesn't _really_ have a choice. Katara works her fingers through her hair but doesn't braid it like she normally does. It'll dry faster and she doesn't want to spend all day with wet, heavy hair again.

Lee is waiting for her when she gets out. He stands from the chair he was reclining in and quickly puts the metal cuffs around her wrists were she had them placed behind her expectantly. Like the knife in between her thighs, the cuffs around her hands are going to have to be something that she adapts to.

"Prince Zuko wishes to speak with you again today," Lee explains when thy make a different turn. She glances at him curiously but doesn't say anything as he takes her towards the front of the ship. The Prince will probably try to get more information out of her – but he's going to be sorely disappointed today. She's more than prepared.

Lee knocks on the metal door before he opens it to prod her inside. The cuffs are still around her wrists but she holds her head high because the Prince of Fire is looking at her from behind his desk. The larger, older man that had offered her the tea and bath is not here today.

Pity. She might have taken the offer this time.

Katara takes note of the red cushions on the floor and raises an eyebrow. "So it starts today?"

Confusion flickers across his face but he quickly morphs back to his blank stare. "What starts today?"

"I'm a prisoner. A _female_ prisoner," she nods to the cushions on the floor. "I know what happens to women like me on these ships."

But he won't touch her. She has the knife and she can feel the pull of water in a pitcher that sits on top of his desk. Katara wouldn't let Zhao near her – and she certainly isn't going to let his _boy_ overpower her.

When she looks back at Zuko he looks rather uncomfortable. Strange. He's a Fire Prince, is he not? Surely he's used to cushions and female prisoners and helplessness and inflicting pain. But when he starts to shift in his seat before he stands, Katara wonders if she misjudged the situation.

For some reason, that doesn't make her feel any better. In fact, it makes her a bit wary because if he and the new cushions are not there for _that_ then…

"I was hoping to offer you tea." Zuko explains as he walks with the water-filled pitcher and pulls a tiny table with cups on top over next to the seats. He sits and begins to pour, looking at her expectantly when she doesn't automatically step towards him.

Behind her back, she clenches her fists but takes a step closer anyway. He's spiked her interest.

"Why?"

He shrugs his shoulders and fills the other cup with the heated water. Zuko sets the pitcher down and opens a tiny tin box. "Why not?"

She watches as he puts a few leaves in the tiny cups. "What if I don't drink tea?"

"Don't tell my uncle that." The corner of his lip rises in a small smile and her eyes instantly narrow. He's being nice. Too nice. She's a prisoner and he's a Prince – she's water and he's fire and he _shouldn't_ be making her tea when he should be interrogating her about the Avatar.

Katara studies him as he lifts a cup to his lips. He stares back at her. She doesn't waver as he takes a sip – eyes never leaving hers – and she waits… _There_. His eyes narrow for an instant and she knows instantly that this _is_ an act. This nice exterior will break away into something temperamental in a few moments.

"Do you not drink tea?" He asks and breaks her gaze to set his cup on the table.

"It's kind of hard to do that when your hands are cuffed behind your back." She tugs at her wrists pointedly. "Would you like to try it out? I'm sure it'd be interesting to see if you can drink as easily when you can't use your hands."

Zuko doesn't speak. He stands and crosses the room to where she's still standing close to the door. His hands make quick work of the cuffs around her wrists and she wonders if he has a key or if there's something in the way they're made to make it so easy for him to slide them off.

She rubs at her wrists to get some feeling back in them and walks towards the table.

"Wait," Zuko commands behind her and she pauses. Katara turns to face him as she crosses her arms across her chest and waits for him to continue. "Lift up your tunic."

Her blood freezes. "_Why?_"

"Do it."

"And if I don't?" She challenges. Her blood is still cold and surely Zuko doesn't know. He _can't_ know – but his eyes flash down to her thighs and she shivers a little. _He knows_. She hasn't even had the knife for more than a day and Zuko has already figured it out.

Zuko steps forward and she steps back. "Then _I _will do it for you."

Katara jerks her chin up and glowers at him.

"Sorry, _Prince_ but I'm not that type of girl." She feigns ignorance, playing on the cushion comment earlier. Maybe if she acts like it isn't there, he will believe it.

"Waterbender. _Lift_ _your tunic_."

Or maybe not.

Katara reaches down and curls her fingers under the fabric that stops at her knees. Slowly, she slides it up the length of her leggings until she's at mid-thigh. Any further and he _will_ see the knife. So she stops, extending her leg out so that he can get a good look.

"Keep going."

"You're sick," she keeps faking it but she doesn't move the tunic up any higher.

His eyes tell her that he knows exactly what she's trying to do and that he doesn't believe her for one second. Hesitantly, Katara slides the tunic up a bit more. Her fingers grab the handle and she yanks it out. The weapon is in her hands and she's holding it out in warning towards him.

He looks nothing but amused. "And what exactly do you plan on doing with –"

Katara cuts him off by bending the water out of the pitcher and the cups and sending a sharp whip towards his chest. His eyes widen and he ducks to the side. She snaps the stream so that it's around her waist, ready to attack him again and she drops into a defensive position, the knife still poised in her hand.

Zuko recovers quickly. He throws a fire ball towards her but she blocks it with the water. A few ice daggers are flying towards him but he deflects those easily. Katara bends more water from the pitcher – her eyes quickly go to the potted plants in the far corner and she _could _use that water but –

He's blasting fire balls and fire whips her way and she has no choice but to dodge by dropping to the floor and rolling. She's pretty sure a bit of her hair is singed but she has no time to think as she compresses the water into a flat disc and sends it hurling towards his neck.

Zuko ducks and the ice shatters on the wall behind him. Katara flicks her wrists and hurriedly tries to make a shield in front of her as he sends a few more fire blasts her way. He's not trying to kill her – she can easily tell that – but he _is_ trying to hurt her.

A fire ball dances too closely to her waist when she stands and she instantly shies away from the heat. Fire has only brought her pain and she refuses for that to happen again.

She's trying to bend the water from the plants in pure desperation when she realizes Zuko is close – too close – and she backs away.

The wall behind her stops her retreat and she scowls at the Prince. _He_ smiles and now all of his movements are focused on deflecting hers as he comes closer. Katara flicks her wrist the way Hama taught her and all of the water is drained from the plants.

He's clearly surprised when she sends a full stream into the center of his chest – barreling him back a few paces and giving her enough room to move away from the wall. But now he's on the offensive again. Kicking, punching, and arcing flames towards her with narrowed eyes and grit teeth. He's losing control; his temper is about to show and Katara smirks in victory even though she has to lunge onto the floor to avoid a fire ball.

Her water whips move faster and hit harder now that she has more to work with. She slides along the floor as he tries to get closer – her pushing him back each time. The fight would be more spectacular if they were in a larger, more open space. He's holding back because he doesn't want to destroy the furniture or the ship – Katara is trying not to use up the scarce water she has. She also hasn't seen the moon in days and that shows as her muscles start burning and her blood slows.

She's using too much energy on this simple fight. She'll never be able to get out if she can't –

– A whip of fire makes slices at her abdomen and Katara sucks in a breath, her eyes wide. She starts to panic, water becoming sloppy but her hits focused on places that might kill him. Zuko isn't wearing any armor, and she sees that he's bleeding after her hands flick and his arm is cut by her whips.

Those little droplets of blood makes her smile in satisfaction. She's hurting him just as much as he is her.

Katara sends a flurry of compact ice spheres at him. Zuko sends a flaming kick at them and the water evaporates into instant steam. More panic sets in and she quickly works to suck the liquid out of the air where he evaporated it when suddenly he's so close that he's grabbing her arm.

She stabs at him with the knife – suddenly remembering that it's there in her hand. He dodges but is forced to let her go as she grips it tightly and slices at his chest. Now _he's_ retreating and she's advancing, the dull knife in her hand her only weapon and she wonders why he isn't firebending at her.

Katara gets her answer when he easily evades one of her stabs and grips her wrists. He hauls her around and sends her careening towards a wall. She turns so her back bears the brunt of the blow and she groans when her head smacks against the metal, sending the wall vibrating against her back when the bulk of her weight hits it.

He's on her in an instant; one of his arms is across her chest and the other is gripping the wrist with the knife. Katara's instincts kick in and she starts trying to stab him with it but she's only meeting air and she grits her teeth in frustration –

– Zuko twists her wrist at an awkward angle and Katara screams. Her palm opens and the knife clatters on the floor. Pain shoots up her arm in sharp spikes and Zuko slams it against the wall beside her head. Her eyes are squeezed closed and she's panting – Zuko's heartbeat is erratic but he's already gained control of his breathing. She can feel his hair touch her forehead and she tries to jerk away from him ineffectively.

"_Let go of me,"_ she hisses and tries to wriggle in desperation. Her other palm is open and she's trying to get water from _anywhere_ when he notices. Zuko grabs at it and smashes it against the other side of her head so that she's caged and useless against him and the wall.

Katara is twisting and turning her torso, yanking at her arms and her wrists. Zuko is struggling to keep her against the wall, pressing as much of his weight into her as possible to keep her still but it's _not working._

There's heat on her wrists and she stills instantly. It leaves as quickly as it had flared, and Katara glares up at Zuko with the scowl still on her lips.

"Are you calm now?" He asks as if he hadn't just had to start to burn her wrists in order to keep her still. His eyes are wide, filled with anxiousness, annoyance and excitement and Katara is sure that hers reflect his… with an added amount of hate thrown in just because he tried to _burn her wrists _to keep her sedated.

"I'll be calm when you get off of me." Katara bucks her hips as she talks, trying to get enough room in between them so that she can work her knee up to shove him away from her. The Prince leans in closer, his breath in her hair and she turns away, staring at the door.

"I don't want to hurt you –"

"Don't lie to me. You can torture me, burn me, _touch me_ and anything else but don't _lie _to me."

He blinks. "I don't want to hurt you, waterbender. I'm not Zhao. I don't hurt prisoners just for the fun of it."

"Oh really?" She scoffs and shakes her head as much as she can in the limited amount of space. "That's why you attacked me, tried to burn me repeatedly, and almost killed me? That also explains why I'm, you know, _stuck in between you and the wall._"

"You attacked me first. And I wasn't trying to kill you. You were trying to kill me and I was just waiting until you tired out."

Katara glares at him. He's close – too close for her liking and she wishes that she could get him away so that she can _breathe_. His heart has slowed down considerably even though she's still gasping a little.

Zuko's hands tighten around her wrists when she tries to test his grip. She caged even further against the wall. Every time she breathes, she touches his chest and she doesn't like that. She doesn't like it at all.

"I'm calm now." She says flatly. The Prince looks down at her for a beat or two longer before he finally pushes away and releases her wrists. Katara is careful not to make any sudden movements as she rubs at the tenderness and stands upright, no longer having to lean against the wall.

He bends down to pick up the knife and stands before she can kick at his head. Backing away from her a bit, he looks at the puny weapon.

"Out of all the things you could have taken from the kitchen, you take _this_? What were you planning on doing, exactly? Butter some bread?" He says, laughing as he places the knife on his desk.

Katara narrows her eyes. "I'm sorry, does the fact that I am trying to defend myself on a ship full of _firebending men_ humor you? I'm sure you heard about what happened yesterday in the kitchen. These men hate me. I need to take any precaution necessary."

Zuko frowns. "You… You don't have to worry about _that_ sort of thing. The Fire Lord has to give permission for sailors to keep pleasure slaves on the ship and you're a high priority prisoner so –"

"Oh, so it's not the fact that rape is _wrong_. The reason I haven't been touched is because Mister _Fire Lord_ likes to have first picks, right? I'm being saved just for him, I see now. If I was some random Water Tribe peasant though it wouldn't matter. But because I'm _important_ your dad gets to have me first. Wow, that's rather comforting, thank you."

"That's not what I meant." He's the one scowling now as if she wounded him somehow.

"Are you telling me I'm wrong?"

A beat. "No."

"Okay then." Katara crosses her arms across her chest. The firebender and the waterbender glare at each other. The room still smells like smoke from their little fight and the table that the tea was on is turned over somehow.

They've made a mess.

"I'd like to go back to my cell now, if you would be so kind to excuse me. Your little trick with the tea didn't work and I'm _definitely _not telling you anything about the Avatar so you might as well give up."

Zuko sighs and turns around. Katara thinks he's going to get her cuffs from the table when he spots the now-dead potted plant. She sees his shoulders stiffen and he looks back at her, then at the plant, then back at her. Katara doesn't flinch away.

She sees there's confusion in his eyes but he doesn't ask her about the plant. He probably figures it out for himself. Zuko picks the cuffs off of the desk and tosses them up and down in his hand.

"You can leave. Your guard will be waiting for you outside the door." Zuko throws the cuffs onto the desk where they clatter and she's so surprised that she doesn't move for a few moments. There's something tense in his body and she can't help but stare and try to figure out what's wrong with him.

He looks over his shoulder at her and that's when she moves towards the door. Katara tries not to look back at him when she opens the door but fails. He's looking at her too. His eyes, though, they're not their normal blank or studious glare… They're _curious_.

Katara jerks her head away and slams the door shut behind her.

"Well that was longer than – _why are you burned_?" Lee's hands inch out to touch her stomach and Katara looks down. She had forgotten about Zuko's fire whip that managed to graze her abdomen.

"Long story," Katara murmurs and steps away from Lee's grasp. The scar is healing but if he touches it, it will still hurt a little. "Don't worry. He bled, too."

Lee looks like he's going to ask her what they were doing but he shuts his mouth and starts walking with her back to the room.

Katara thinks back to Zuko's kindness – him fixing her a cup of tea – and then to him burning her wrists in warning when he had her up against the wall. Then there was the curious expression on his face and the silent reaction to the dead plant. He's so back-and-forth that she's having a hard time gauging what he's really thinking and what he's going to do.

She can't build a defensive plan around this. He's too fickle, too changing.

There's something… something about all of this that makes her wonder. Suddenly, Katara isn't so sure if she'd rather be in Zhao's or Zuko's cell.

-/-

It's been five days since she was first captured by Zhao. Three days since Zuko took her and Zhao into his ship.

Five days since she's seen the moon and felt its' power go through her body.

She'll never get all of her energy and ability back until she can soak in the moon. She won't be able to bloodbend, either. As much as she doesn't like to resort to using the methods that Hama taught her, it's her only way to get out of this ship.

Zuko and his men will expect her waterbending. What they won't expect is her ability to bend _them_.

Katara is more than eager to see the surprise on the Prince's face when she finally gets her power back. _All_ of her power.

Her hands haven't itched since her fight with Zuko. The excitement and adrenaline of the small – and honestly, quite pathetic because they were both holding back – fight seem to have sated her violent urges for the time. The bending she does when she takes baths hasn't quite cut it.

That night, Katara dreams of fighting Zuko. _Really_ fighting Zuko. It would be a close match with her at her full power and him not concerned with wanting her and the surroundings unharmed. It would be violent but beautiful: Fire and water. Steam and smoke. Ice and lava.

She wakes before she finds out who wins. She wants to say that she will, but even she's not for sure. She has yet to see Zuko in all of his firebending glory. He's talented, though. She could tell that by watching and fighting against him yesterday.

Hopefully, she will be able to see him unleash all of his bending ability before she freezes him in a coffin of ice.

When Lee comes to get her, she expects for him to take her back to Zuko. They walk right by the door though. She pauses at it, sure that Lee's made a mistake but he motions for her to follow so she does. Soon, they're in front of a smaller door and she's confused when Lee knocks and opens it for her.

Inside is the gray-haired man from Zuko's office from two days ago.

He makes her even more nervous than Zuko does. Maybe it's because when she walks in he smiles and actually _bows_ to her. Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and she takes a step back as Lee closes the door, shutting her inside the room with the man with the kind wrinkles on his face.

"W-Why did you that?" For some reason, the bow of respect shakes her more than anything recently. It was so… _out of nowhere_. She was a prisoner – he shouldn't be bowing to her. She stands, her hands by her sides awkwardly, eyes wide and mouth open as he waves her towards one of the many cushions around a tea table like the one Zuko has in his office.

"A beautiful lady like yourself deserves to be bowed to," he says simply. "Please, have a seat."

Katara _blushes_, of all things. The man's eyes are sparkling and the smile hasn't left his face since she came in. She soothes down the front of her tunic that is still torn at the stomach from her fight yesterday. She wishes that she had changed out of it into a fresh one and then admonishes herself – this man, no matter how _nice_ is still the enemy.

Katara lowers herself onto a cushion across from him and he finally sits. His hands go through the tea-making process and soon there's a steaming cup being thrust into her hands. Katara takes it with a small, but weak and faltering, smile as she watches his face carefully.

At least it's tea. She can always bend it just in case anything strange – no, in case anything _stranger _happens. "Thank you," she cups it in her hands, liking the feel of warm porcelain in her hands. They didn't have finery like this in the South. It's so…pretty and delicate that she feels the need to be as gentle as possible with it like it's a child instead of a cup.

She waits until he takes a sip before she takes her own.

It's delicious. Warm, soothe and light on her tongue but with more flavor than she expected. Katara is positive that she moans a little, much to the delight of the man. He beams even though she's trying to duck her head to hide the embarrassed blush that warms her cheeks.

"This... This is amazing," she can't help but compliment. "What sort of tea is it?"

"A little flavor of my own. Jasmine leaves with a bit of rosemary and pepper. I had to experiment for weeks to get it just right."

Katara keeps drinking until she's finished with her cup. Then he pours her another.

It's very hard to imagine this tea-pouring man with a lazy smile as a firebending killer but she remembers that Zuko had said that he was a Master. She forces the image in her mind so that she doesn't get too comfortable. It's hard when he keeps pouring her cup after cup of tea.

"My nephew can be a little rough around the edges," the man takes notice of the ripped fabric and the very light burn on her stomach. Katara re-arranges the tunic so that it's covered. "He is a young man though, and young men are often rather hot-headed. He _is _good. He wouldn't cause you pain just to see you suffer."

"Your nephew? That would make you General Iroh – right? Or does Zuko have any other uncles that the world doesn't know of?" She pointedly ignores what he says about the Prince.

He nods. "Iroh will suffice. I'm no longer the General that I once was. Some fates are abandoned in favor of others." Well at least she knows who he is now.

Katara acts like she knows what he means. She looks away awkwardly and takes a sip of her second cup of tea. She shifts on the cushion.

"He has good intentions… even if those intentions and the way he goes about fulfilling him are directed the wrong way." Iroh frowns at his tea – the smile disappearing for the first time since she's seen him – and Katara quirks an eyebrow. What was he talking about? None of this made any sense.

He blinks and looks back up at her as if he's just realizing that she's sitting across from him. The smile returns. "If Prince Zuko does anything to harm you intentionally, please don't hesitate to come tell me."

"I normally don't run to strange men with my problems." Katara sets her empty cup on the table. Iroh moves to pour her another but she holds her hand up to stop him. "No thank you. It _was_ delicious, though."

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it. As for the running to _strange men_, we've shared tea and a conversation, are we still strangers? Acquaintances, perhaps, but strangers?" He shakes his head teasingly.

Iroh is strange. Katara can't decide if she likes the strangeness or if it bothers her.

"A wise man once told me that oftentimes, strangers are the best people to tell about your problems. That way, they can offer true advice free of any prejudices or concerns about keeping a friendship."

"Somehow I have the feeling that he wise man is you and that you just made that up to convince me to come talking to you about your nephew."

"Then your feeling would be correct." His smile grows broader and he takes a long sip from his tea. Katara can't even stifle her giggle.

When Iroh offers to pour her another cup, she doesn't refuse.

-/-

**Notes: Thank you so much for the support! It means SO MUCH.**

**This story will be moving very fast. So all I will say is don't get too comfortable... That is all. **

**I cannot promise that updates will continue to be posted so quickly. Spring semester will start soon and I'm taking a heavy class load. So there may not be a whole lot of time for fic-writing. However, I am a few chapters ahead so hopefully that will ease the blow a bit. **

**Thank you again for the support. It really inspires me to keep writing because I know someone is actually reading. Y'all are awesome!**


	5. Chapter 5

She's asleep when she hears the metal door creak open.

Katara's energy is slowly returning even though she's nowhere near where she used to be; she can feel the intruder's blood move though his body and the faint pulsing of a heartbeat. It's a man and he's alone.

She keeps her back to the door where she lies on the bed and waits. Eyes closed and breath even so that her visitor will think she's asleep.

Her hands grip the sheets tighter though and her body stiffens. She waits.

"I know you're awake." The Prince states and Katara's eyes open. She can't see him, but she can hear him close the door before he takes a few steps closer to the bed. "Lee says you wake up at the same time every morning."

"And what if I decided to sleep in?" She asks bitterly. Katara sits up though, the blanket pooling at her waist as she turns to face him with her back against the headboard. It's warm and she's in her bindings – Katara doesn't miss his eyes narrow when he looks at her. _Interesting_.

"Your back hasn't healed completely yet." Zuko takes notice. Katara doesn't know what sort of condition the _skin_ of her back is because she refuses to look in mirrors when she goes to the bathroom, but she does know that the wound has healed. By the look on the Prince's face though, she guesses that it's scarred over.

He doesn't seem to like that.

Curious, Katara reaches her arm around to her back and feels along the skin. Sure enough, it's no longer smooth and soft like it was. Now it's rough and coarse, bumpy underneath her fingertips. What she wants to do is see what it looks like now that she knows the skin is marred. Does it look like Zuko's scar?

"I haven't been able to restore myself. You and Zhao have kept me from the moon." Katara crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him. Surely he knows about that. It's not exactly rare knowledge that waterbenders get their power from the moon just like firebenders get theirs from the sun.

But by now it probably won't make a difference. Even if Zuko lets her sleep on the deck underneath the moon's light her back will never heal. It's been too long, and the burn was too much. She's been too exhausted and the scar will stay with her forever.

Katara likes that. Being a healer and bloodbender, her body has always been able to heal herself. She's never had the badges of honor that cover her brother's and her father's skin. Now she has one of her own. Part of her life's story is on her skin just like the etching at her waist.

She hopes it's impressive looking. It wouldn't be fair if she went through all of that pain just to come out with a pathetic scar.

Zuko looks like he's going to say something but he seems to think better of it. Something on his face is torn, his back stiffens and he gains control over himself again. Katara wonders who taught him how to do that – how to get command of himself that quickly. It might have been gained through experience and age though, but she's still sure someone had to show him how to do that.

His temper is too volatile-seeming to believe otherwise.

"You took the water from the plant the other day, didn't you?"

It takes her a moment to realize what he's talking about. "Maybe, maybe not. Why? Do you think I did?"

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do _what_?" She goads him. It works because his eyes flash and his cheeks get a tad bit redder.

"How did you _take the water_?"

"Did I take it?"

"You just said you did!"

"No I didn't. I said that I _might _have. That's two totally different responses, _Prince_. And shouldn't you already know the answer? Fire Nation Royalty seems to have the answers for everything else so I don't really see how this is any different."

He actually breathes steam from his nose and she's sure that she sees a flicker of flame at his hands. She smiles because she's winning.

Katara slips from underneath the covers and stands by the bed. The black pants that she found in the dresser are so long that they drag on the floor when she walks to where she discarded her tunic during the night. She pulls it over her head, adjusting it a bit.

"I've never seen a waterbender take from plants before." Zuko utters under his breath and she almost doesn't hear him. He isn't looking at her at first, but then he is and Katara is a little caught off guard by the curiosity in them. "How did you do it?"

She actually _pauses_ before she denies it. "If you've never seen a waterbender do it before then why do you ask? Seems like you think it's impossible."

"I know what I saw the other day. Somehow, you got your hands on more water and my plant is dead. That means that you had to have taken it and I want to know how you did it."

"Why? Are you planning on trying to take water from a plant? You're a firebender so I'm pretty sure that _is_ impossible no matter if I actually did it or not."

"I know what I saw! Stop beating around the bush and _just_ _tell me_ _the truth_!" Katara takes a step back when he moves towards her, eyes angry and his body tense as fists form by his sides and she's actually a little worried that she pushed him a bit far.

But it doesn't matter. Because that worry is eclipsed by the fact that she got that controlling exterior of his to fall and now she's seeing the real Zuko. The one with a temper that matches the fire in his veins.

"What if I told you that I did?" _That_ makes him stop his advance and he looks at her, his eyes going from angry to scrutinizing her as if trying to figure out if she's trying to tell him that she did, in fact, take the water. "What would you do then?"

Zuko blinks. "I-I don't know." At his sides, his hands relax like the rest of his body and he looks away from her. "But did you? Did you take the water from the plant?"

"My answer depends on _yours_. I'm not admitting or denying anything until I know what you're thinking about doing to me."

Katara watches as the Prince takes in a deep breath. His anger is gone but the control isn't back up yet. She caught him off guard, surprised him with her sudden turn of tone and she sees that he's more than a little confused about everything.

"Un-General Iroh has learned several things from studying waterbenders." He pauses as if he's going over what he's about to say multiple times and she waits patiently even though she's _very_ interested in what he's going to offer.

But Zuko sharply turns his head to look at her. "How were you able to get the water from the plant? You already said that you haven't seen the moon in days so you don't have your full strength yet. Wouldn't that have taken a lot of energy?"

"I'm not as strong as I could be. Yes, taking the water made me a lot weaker because it took up so much of my energy. Why did you think that you were able to beat me so quickly?" She realizes after she answers that she just told him that she took it from the plant.

Katara watches him carefully. He doesn't seem angry or confused just... intrigued.

Understanding flickers across his face and he seems satisfied. "I was wondering why you seemed… weaker than I expected. Your wave that stopped Zhao's fire was impressive even though it nearly killed you."

Katara bites on the inside of her cheek. Where was he going with this, again?

"Can you do anything else?"

_Yes_. "No." Zuko doesn't need to know about the bloodbending. She can't do it until she feels the moon anyway and she's saving _that_ show for last.

He looks a little disappointed and she fights the urge to smile.

Zuko reaches inside the pocket of his tunic and he pulls out the knife she had the other day. He looks down at it then back up at her before extending his arm to hand it to her. Katara stares at it.

"Some of the men are angry because you attacked one of them in the kitchen. I will let you keep this for protection only in case you are unable to defend yourself and they make it past Lee."

"Is that a smart move, _Prince_?"

He smirks. "I've seen you try to fight with it. It's a pathetic weapon and to be honest, you're an even more pathetic knife wielder. I'm guessing you've never had any formal training?"

"I'm a waterbender. Why would I need to know how to work a knife?" Katara glowers at him, rather insulted by his comment. She thought she had done _okay_ for her first time with the short weapon. Katara had used spears once or twice when they hunted and a skinning knife but that was nothing like using one to actually kill.

"If you had known how to use one the other day, you might have gotten away."

Katara looks at him. The knife is still held out to her and she reaches out gingerly, wary as if he's going to slice her wrist when she gets close enough. Before he can do that, she grabs it and yanks it away from him so that she's holding it instead of him. He makes no move to stop her.

"If you try to use it to injure one of my men when they're not trying to attack you, I will not hesitate to punish you. That _is_ a warning, waterbender."

"I've never been good with warnings." Katara shrugs her shoulders. Zuko's lips tug up in the corner but there's no smile. "But giving me this knife isn't going to make me talk about the Avatar. You, Lee and your uncle can try to woo me all you want. It's not going to happen."

The knife slips underneath her pillow where she had kept it before. Despite the fact that she is glad she has another – although far less effective – weapon near her, she wasn't blind to what they were trying to do. Giving her a false sense of comfort with the room and the bed, security with the knife, fake friendship with Lee and Iroh's tea.

Their methods were different than Zhao's. But that didn't make them any more dangerous. Katara had to keep her guard up so that she didn't enjoy their company too much. After she had come back from General Iroh's room, Katara had kicked herself for being so stupid. These people weren't her _friends_. Lee at the very most was a fickle ally.

She had to be stronger.

"I'm not in charge of your interrogations. That is the Fire Lord's duty."

"But you want to know about the Avatar just as much as Zhao does. You're just as eager, aren't you?"

That's something he doesn't seem to have an answer to. Or an answer that he doesn't want to give _her_.

"You never trusted Zhao, did you?" Katara continues, watching the Prince carefully as she spoke. "I saw it when you were in his room. You didn't like him then and you definitely don't like him now. You followed him after that, waiting for him to mess up so that you could come leaping in. That's why you were able to get to the boat so fast."

"Anyone who trusts Zhao is foolish. Even my father had his concerns. It would only make sense for someone to stand and watch just in case anything happened. My ship and I happened to be closest to him."

"I'm not an idiot. You had a spy on that ship. There's no way you could have known otherwise. I bet –"

"_Enough_. I don't need to answer to _you_." The interruption and the tightness that appears in his shoulders is more than enough for her. Zuko might not have answered her in his words, but he didn't have to. His reaction is more than enough to confirm what she had been thinking ever since that day.

Her lips curl up into a victorious smile. "But you already have."

Something breaks in Zuko and he's launching himself at her. His hands grab onto her arms tightly, hauling her close to him as he stares down at her. He's hot – his heart is beating erratically and there's steam coming from his breath and his hands are uncomfortably warm.

Her own heart skips at the heat.

It makes her start to wriggle. She can't bend because there's no water or plants around so she starts shoving her hands at his chest and kneeing his thighs to get some room in between them. He tightens his grip on her arms, the heat getting warmer, and she pushes against him harder.

There's a flicker of something in his eyes and before Katara can really figure out what that _something_ is, she's being pushed away. Katara's legs hit the bed and she sits, catching herself by putting her palms down and she gasps. She hadn't expected _him_ to shove _her_ away.

Zuko's jaw is clenched when he turns away abruptly and storms out of the room. The door slams shut behind him, leaving her slack-jawed with the heat fading from her arms and curiosity in her mind.

Well that was… odd. Odd and most interesting.

-/-

Katara has braided her hair twice and read the rest of the poems in the red book when there's a light knock on the door. A moment later, Lee opens and comes in. She shuts the book and sets it to the side, sitting up on the bed so that she can get a good look at him in the low candlelight.

He flicks his wrist just barely and the candles flare. The room becomes brighter.

"The Prince has agreed to let you eat in the kitchen, tonight. He hopes that you will not cause any more disturbances." Lee states. "I assured him that you wouldn't."

"Never assure him anything. Especially when you can't guarantee it." Katara gives him a flat stare. Rather reluctantly, she clambers out of the bed and straightens the hem of her tunic before she slips on the black flats. She's not even hungry, really. She'd much rather stay in her room alone than go in the kitchen just to be stared at.

If they wanted to give her fresh air they should take her outside. Will she ever see the moon again?

Lee shakes his head as she crosses her arms over her chest and waits for him to lead her out. She suspects that he will handcuff her like he has before, but he doesn't. Katara hasn't been cuffed since her fight with Zuko when he threw the metal clamps on his table before dismissing her.

"If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?" Katara asks him when they're walking to the kitchen.

The look he gives her is a bit wary but he slowly nods his head. "Sure, I suppose."

"Is Zhao still on board?"

"Yes. Of course I can't tell you where he is being held –"

"Does he know that you were Zuko's spy?"

"– because we can't – wait, _what_?" His eyes widen and he blanches when she stares at him. "I-I didn't –what –"

"You were the one who let Zuko know about the burning."

"I-I…" Lee finally gets control of himself and clears his throat. Looking around to make sure that they are alone in the hall, he leans closer to her. "My loyalty is to the Fire Nation. Not to any one Captain."

"So you admit to it."

"I admit to serving my Nation. Nothing more." Lee blinks, then turns away and starts walking back to the kitchen.

Katara hurries to catch up with him. "But why would you turn against Zhao like that? I mean, I know he's not the best person or anything and I'm not surprised that _someone_ other than me wanted to bring him down but…why? I thought loyalty was a big thing in the Fire Nation."

"Loyalty to country is. Loyalty to one person varies depending on the circumstances." Lee halts and she has to jerk herself back so that she can meet his eyes when he faces her and bends down again. "This conversation is over."

"But – hey, _wait_ I wasn't finished asking questions!" Lee starts walking again, Katara scrambling to catch up with him again. She was starting to get a little whiplash from all of the stopping and starting.

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not," she huffs indignantly.

"Yes. You _are_." His voice is tighter now. Katara clamps her mouth shut and follows after him silently. Her curiosity, while peaking and nagging at her, knows that she's about to cross a boundary. Lee's getting defensive and unlike Zuko, she actually kind of _likes_ the Fire Nation guard even though she knows she shouldn't.

Both Lee and Katara are quiet when they eat. Katara can't help but try to come up with reasons why Lee would turn against Zhao in favor of Zuko. The answer about loyalty _should_ make sense but it doesn't. Not to her.

The move should have brought Lee some sort of personal gain. But from what she could see, his status hasn't changed much. He is still guarding her, wearing the same robes and Zuko hasn't said he was promoted or anything. Lee seems to still be the same guard he was before. Surely if he had showed his devotion to his country by handing over a corrupted captain, he would have gained _something_.

But he hasn't. And that is what troubles her. The Southern Water Tribe even had rewards for soldiers who showed that they were loyal to the tribe rather than their superiors. It didn't happen often because there were so few left and the tribesmen by nature were not very ambitious but still. They had something.

The Fire Nation, whose entire foundation was built on ambition alone, should have some sort of reward system for behavior like Lee's. He shouldn't be stuck guarding her, he should have been promoted to Captain of his own crew or something. Even if Zuko was waiting for the Fire Lord to bless the promotion, there should still be stirrings of it.

There were none though. And that makes Katara very suspicious of Lee's claims of national devotion.

Lee walks with Katara when they slide their plates in the bins. Supper has gone without anything happening. Everything is quite normal – quiet and there are far too many heated stares sent in her direction, but it's about as normal as it's going to get and Katara has come to accept that.

She tries very hard to ignore the moon's pull when she's in the hallway. The kitchen is close to the open air of the deck. Wanting nothing more than to run out and soak up the energy, she has to grit her teeth and force herself to follow after Lee.

That act of defiance will _not_ go unpunished like her knife incident did.

When she's in her room, alone, Katara stands by her door until she hears the click of the lock. She bites the inside of her cheek and waits until she hears Lee's footsteps walk away and there's nothing but silence outside before she goes over to her bed.

Before she takes two steps, Katara pauses. _The lock_. She walks back to the door and bends down so that she can see the handle. It's hard to see because of the dim light, but when she shifts away from it a bit she can see that there is a tiny slot just under the handle where the lock is. Just the right size for…

Katara rises and practically runs over to her bed. She slips the knife out from the pillow, holding it close to the light. Zuko's right; the knife makes a pathetic weapon and probably won't hurt anyone if she ever tries to stab them. But it's just thin enough at the edge that she might be able to…

She's back by the door in a matter of seconds, bent down on her knees with the knife in one hand and a lit candle by her side. Her hand doesn't shake when she slides the knife's tip in the tiny slot. It doesn't go very far and when she wriggles it around, she can feel something hard pressing against it that prevents much more movement.

Teeth biting the inside of her cheek and eyes narrowing in concentration, she wriggles it a little harder, digging it further into the tiny hole so that she can get more leverage against the block. If she could just –

– the block gives and she hears a click. Katara's heart stops beating for a moment and her eyes widen a fraction_. She just_ _unlocked a door with a knife_. Testing it, she reaches up to turn the knob and sure enough, she's able to twist it all the way.

Katara gently lets it go back so that it doesn't make any noise to alert anyone that might be nearby. It takes a bit of pulling to get the knife out of slot but she manages, landing on the back of her heels when she gets it free.

A slow smile spreads across her face. The Prince has just given her a way to escape.

He's helped her in more ways than he –and she – ever thought possible.

-/-

The moon calls to her strongly that night.

It's getting close to a full moon. The three days before and the three days after the full moon, she's at her weakest. It's a balance – nature always has a way of doing that – and her weak points are not _really_ that weak but she can tell when she bends that there's a difference. It's harder. She uses more energy. Sometimes, her waves are not that powerful.

One time, her weakness almost killed her father when she was unable to drown a firebender's fire blade because she had been fighting for nearly two hours. Luckily, Sokka had been there and their father was able to get out relatively unscarred and unburned. Barely – but he made it out thanks to his sun.

Katara grimaces at the memory. She hates thinking about times when she's failed.

But with the weakness comes a peak that she can definitely notice. Her waves are always towers and her ice is always unbreakable, even to the hottest of fires she's able to withstand it. Those are the memories Katara likes best; ones where she was able to overturn an entire Fire Nation ship or the times when she was praised as a battle hero because she took on the firebenders almost single-handedly and won.

Getting power from the moon certainly has its drawbacks, but the rewards that she reaps are more than enough to make up for it.

By her guesses, the full moon is less than a few days away – four at the very most. She has the next day to build up her energy and then she should rest the three days after that because she'll be at her weakest.

But on that fourth day… Well, Katara probably shouldn't make plans of escaping yet. But the knife under her pillow taunts her and so does the unlocked door. She has a way out, and she'll be stronger than the other benders. She can finally get out and get back to her Tribe…

It's more than enticing. Katara has missed the moon so much that feeling the pull almost makes her want to cry out in frustration. She should be _out_s_ide _on the deck, absorbing the power now that it's strong. She'll be weak; she'll need the energy for those three days.

She shouldn't. If the soldiers catch her outside her room, they'll know she got out somehow – they'll search her room and find the knife – and there's no telling what will happen then. No, Katara _knows_ what will happen. Zuko will have no choice but to take it back and banish her to a _real_ cell. One without a bed and books and clothes and a door and baths.

It'll be like Zhao all over again. Only this time, she can't count on nice guards to give her water or a Fire Prince to bombard the ship. They've been traveling for four days now, not counting the one full day she was on Zhao's ship. When she was captured, she was on the opposite side of the Earth Nation. If it took about three weeks to get around…

She'll be in the prison for about two weeks. After only being in the cell in Zhao's ship for a night and nearly dying, she isn't exactly wanting to back down in there.

So why does the pull of the moon seem more and more enticing?

Against her better judgment, Katara slides out of the bed and pulls on the black tunic. She moves slowly – she shouldn't be doing this, she _shouldn't _be getting dressed, she _shouldn't_ be tucking the knife up her sleeve, she _shouldn't _be sliding her feet into the flats, she _shouldn't _be walking towards the door, she _shouldn't_ be twisting the handle.

But she is. And before she can stop herself, she's slipped out between the tiny crack and she's in the hallway with her back pressed up against the wall and the door closing behind her.

-/-

**Notes: Looks like Katara managed to get out of the room. What are your predictions for the next chapter?**

**Shorter chapter than normal. It was originally longer but I cut out a part to fit in a whole new chapter between this and the original chapter 6. Hope you don't mind!**

**The response to the last chapter was overwhelming and I thank each and every one of your for following, favoriting and reviewing. I can't tell you how awesome it feels! **

**Feel free to follow me on tumblr (wannabewonderbender) for updates and in case you want to ask questions and don't have an account on here. I know some of you have questions but I can't answer through a PM. If you run a primary ATLA/LOK blog, I will more than likely follow back. The account is new and my dashboard is so dead it's sad. :( **

**Some Review Replies:**

**Guest (fight is sexy comment [AGREED]) : Aang will play a crucial part in this story, but the romance-y bits will not be the main focus (not even between Zuko and Katara with what I have planned. [okay there may be a lot of romance... you'll just have to see]) I see Aang as a young and confused boy who mistook a crush as love. So, I agree with you on the series comment. Toph has yet to enter the picture in my story but I look forward to writing her. :)**

**Geminizoe: Please stop. I'm blushing so freaking hard. (and by stop I really mean don't stop) You're so sweet! I'm really glad that you're liking it so far!**

**Derinne: Haha, I think I have up to Chapter 9 or 10 typed out so I'm a bit ahead. I'm glad that you're liking the story and that you approve of Iroh's characterization. I was really nervous about writing him because he's one of my favorites! I hope that this update answered your question about the plant. **

_**Thank you all so much for reviewing! It means the world and moon to me! **_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes: Trigger warning. Pretty violent chapter. Eh...sorry? :/**

-/-

Katara checks down both sides to make sure there is no one in the hall. Luckily, there isn't. Pushing herself off the wall, she creeps towards the direction of the deck, practically tip-toeing and hugging the shadows so that she won't be seen.

The flats are all silent on the floor and for that, she's thankful because her heart is beating loudly enough for anyone remotely close to hear it.

Her blood is racing excitedly though her veins, palms itching for a fight because of all the anticipation building up inside of her and the sinking feeling in her stomach that she's going to get caught. But she won't – Katara isn't going back down in some cell for two weeks and she'll fight back. If she can make it to the deck before they catch her, she'll be fine… she thinks…

The moon is pulling at her body as if it's attached thousands of tiny strings to her arms and legs. Her body moves without her even telling it to, and eagerness catches in her throat because she's _finally_ going to feel the moon and she hasn't seen it in _so long_ –

– she hears her guest's heartbeat before she actually sees him.

Katara lies flat up against the wall, attempting to absorb into the metal as if she's invisible. Her breathing stops because for some reason, she just _can't_, and her eyes are wide and the beats are getting nearer, stronger.

They can see her. Oh Spirits, she's going in the cell for _sure_ if she doesn't get on the deck before they grab her.

But the person turns down a hall. The beats dim as more distance is put between the two. Katara is finally able to breathe again.

Her legs don't start moving again though – the person, they really scared her for a moment. This is too dangerous, she's risking too much coming out here and she should go back to her room. The moon, though…

A frustrated whimper escapes her and she closes her eyes. The moon wants her to go one way but common sense is telling her to go back to her room and forget that this ever happened. It's what she should do. It's safer in her cell; she won't be locked in a real prison for the remainder of her trip if she goes back to her bed and goes to sleep.

She's so absorbed in her dilemma that he doesn't even register the other heartbeat until they're far too close for her liking

Someone's hand wraps around her arm and yanks her into a corner. She's pressed up against the wall before she can even blink. One hand is on her arm, pressing her deeper into the darkness and the other is over her mouth so that she can't even gasp in surprise.

_Stupid_.

Her eyes are wide and straining in the darkness so that she can try to see who he is. She can't though, but luckily his hands are staying where they are and he is trying to steady his heartbeat. Katara doesn't lift her hands to fight him off. _Yet_. But if he so much as moves…

"_What are you doing out here?_" Lee hisses and she probably shouldn't be startled but she is. "_Do you know what you're risking? Do you know what will happen if you get caught?"_

Katara sort of rolls her eyes at the irony – Lee has, after all, _caught her in the hall_ and all he's doing is scolding her. She can't speak though with his hand covering her mouth. So she settles for worming her hands between them to try to shove him away. Lee sighs but backs away just slightly, turning his head to look back down the hallway.

His heart has calmed down considerably but it's still racing. He starts to tug her back towards her room and she's going willingly before the moon _pulls_ at her blood and she freezes. _The moon_ – it's so close, it's _just around the corner_ and she really needs the energy so that she can feel whole again.

"_What are you doing?"_ Lee tugs on her arm a bit harder. Katara moves an inch. "_Are you crazy? Snap out of it, Katara, we need to get you back before someone sees you!"_

She turns her head to look over her shoulder and she swears she can see the light around the bend. It's tugging at her: her blood, her heart, her mind, her legs - they're all affected and she really just wants to _see _it. It's been so long…

Lee's yanking at her. He's huffing, his heart pounding in his chest and she knows that if she only had the full power of the moon in her blood, she could make him let her go but she _doesn't_ and that's why she needs to see it. That's why she needs to feel it on her skin and her face. She _needs_ it more than anything and Lee's _stopping_ her.

He's shocked when she begins to wrench herself away from him, fighting with his tugs by planting her feet firmly on the ground and throwing her weight back. He's strong though and he holds on. Katara gets a hand free and starts digging her nails into his skin and he hisses.

"_Katara_." Lee gives her one strong pull and she's yanked forward into his chest. Lee makes quick work, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. His heart is racing faster than she thought possible and he's practically running back to her room.

She fights him every step of the way. She wriggles, twisting and turning and he's holding on to her with both of his arms wrapped around her now. Katara bites into his back, claws her nails across the fabric of his tunic, presses her knees into his chest and stomach. Her eyes are wide, frantic just like her blood because the moon is disappearing. She can't see the light anymore.

A door opens and she's thrown unceremoniously on her bed. Katara snaps up in an instant, scowling and she's racing for it again – Lee stops her with a strong swoop of his arm against her midsection and she's tossed up against the dresser.

She catches herself – barely – and she's rushing at him again, her hands already working to pull water from the air. But she's too weak for that and she didn't get to the moon so all she gets is dryness on her palms.

The feeling enrages her. Katara starts hitting him, punching him as he stands in between her and the closed door. He's trying to hold her back, grasping at her wrists to restrain her but he's meeting only empty air.

"Katara – _stop_, _stop this_!" Lee finally grabs onto her arm and Katara punches him square in the jaw with her free one before he grabs that one as well. Katara is a crying, kicking mess when he pushes her back to her bed. She hadn't even realized that she was tearing up.

_Water_. Her fingers flick and the water from her cheeks disappears to form a small whip. It's pathetic, but Lee's eyes widen and she starts working her feet in between them to push at his stomach so that she has room to bend.

"_Katara_." He's panicking because she's winning. He's no longer pushing her into the mattress and her desperation is overpowering his strength. _The moon_ – she needs the moon so much it hurts.

His heart pumping lets her know that Lee is actually frightened. Katara snarls at him and manages to push against him hard enough that he actually lets go of her wrists. Her hands raise and the water whip swipes at his cheek – _a scratch_ – and she's already bounding for the door.

"Wait – no!" Lee is calling out after her. But her hand is on the knob and she's turning it, yanking it open and now she's _running_ out and into –

– Katara collides against a chest and she rebounds back into the room, having made no more than a step outside. She lands on her back, palms already going to the floor to push herself up but there's a boot on her chest that presses her down. She hits her head on the metal ground and she snaps her eyes closed.

A searing heat passes by her head and her water whip is evaporated instantly. Her lips curl into a sneer, rage making her see in red and black and she looks up at the man who had_ dared_ stop her from going to the moon.

It's the guard who demanded an apology from her.

Another steps in from behind him and the door closes solidly. The sound echoes in the small room. A chill runs down her back.

Katara refuses to look away from his stare, the scowl still on her lips. It doesn't look much different from this man's smile.

"Soldier Ji - Prince Zuko has orders and -" Lee starts to step forward. The other guard steps between the two, stopping Lee's advance even though his eyes haven't left the man whose boot is planted on her chest.

"I know what the _Prince_ ordered." Ji snaps back. "Don't quite understand why he's so adamant that the waterbender remain untouched. She's the one who started it all."

"Get _off_ of me." She warns in a low growl.

Ji bends down a little. "Or you'll _what_?" Her eyes narrow. His glisten from amusement. "The little Prince still hasn't managed to get anything out of you, has he? Can't say I like his idea of interrogation. Much prefer Zhao's myself. You know, there's men on the ship who love to tell stories about how you _screamed_ like a whore when he burned you."

Her nails dig into the metal floor. Lee tries to move again but he's stopped by the other guard.

"I wonder how loud _I _can make you scream?"

"Soldier Ji you don't want to do this." Lee says tightly. Ji doesn't look away. All the fury and hatred and hunger on his face is directed straight at her. Katara refuses to falter. She won't be shown up by _him_.

Ji holds his palm up, flicks his fingers and a ball of flame appears. Katara can't help that her eyes immediately shift to it, blood starting to freeze in her veins as her body tenses. The soldier with the sick smile notices because soon after, the flame burns brighter.

"They say that Water Tribe women taste the sweetest of all the women in the world." Ji speak nonchalantly. He twists his wrist and the flame disappears but Katara's shoulder stay strained tight against the floor. "They also say that they burn the brightest."

"You're sick," she repeats the words she had thrown at Zuko earlier. Only this time, she means it.

"Oh am I? Funny, I'm not the firebender who lets prisoners get by easily just because they spread their legs." He looks down at hers. "Even if they are nice."

Katara's heart is hammering in her chest. So is Lee's. The other firebenders, though...their's is so calm and steady that it's almost scaring her.

"I think she likes it, Ji." The other guard chuckles. "But we should show her how real firebenders treat their prisoners."

Lee surges forward but the guard slams him back up against the wall. Ji looks at the two. "Knock him out. He'll cause too much trouble if you don't."

The other guard, larger and more muscular, has no trouble taking Lee's head and pounding it up against the wall. Katara shakes, jumping at the harsh sound. Her eyes watch as her ally's body slumps and then drops to the ground with a _thud_. She's alone.

Ji moves his foot and grabs her by the arms. He hauls her up easily, like she weighs nothing and is trash, and brings her face right up to his. His palms are warm but not comfortable. They burn, searing through her fabric so that his fingers touch her bare skin while his breath that smells of brimstone washes over her face.

"You should have apologized when you had the chance."

Katara forces down the wince when his palms start to heat up. She can't show weakness. Not here, not _now_. She's a waterbender, and water will always be stronger than fire. They can burn her but they _won't _touch her.

"I'll never apologize to Fire Nation _scum_." She's haughty, scowling with the fierceness of a mother polar beast. Ji doesn't like her answer and he manages to look every bit as angry as Zhao when he throws her down on the bed.

Katara bounces, head hitting the pillow at an uncomfortable angle and pain shoots down her neck. Hot hands are pulling at her ankles, yanking her further down the mattress and another pair is at her wrists, forcing them up above her head with her palms facing down.

"Try to waterbend all you want. You're not getting out of this." Ji gives her a smile that makes her stomach churn. Katara kicks, hits his chest and his jaw before he growls and grabs them. There's fire - flaming, hot and bright yellow and she arches her back to gasp. It hurts - so much _pain_ and anger lacing up from her ankles where he's still holding her and she jolts, trying to yank her legs out of his grasp.

He drops them and she gasps as the cold air licks at the burns. Her blood is already churning, the healing making her teeth gnash in slight pain but she can't think about that. Ji's hands are on her waist and his knee is forcing her legs apart.

"_Scream_." The guard at her head jeers.

Katara doesn't scream. Instead, she snarls. Snarls like a rabid beast as her hips buck to get his heated hands off of her and away from the rising hem of her tunic. He gives up on bringing it up, instead he lights it on fire.

Flames touch her abdomen and chest and she bites her tongue to keep from crying out. The taste of blood forces her to concentrate on getting him off and soon she's arching her back up to get some distance between their touching bodies. Ji sucks the flames up and off of her clothes. Or what remains of her clothes. She feels more cold air on her exposed skin than she ever wants.

The man at her head moves her hands and soon they're buried up underneath the pillow. Katara arches her hips down and away from Ji's yearning hands, pressing them into the mattress so that he can't tug down her leggings to get what he wants.

Her fingers scrape against metal.

Her focus sharpens.

The knife is in her hands.

Before she can even think about what she's going to do next, she grabs it so hard that her nails dig into the skin when she has the knife in her palm. Katara uses every bit of strength she has to yank her arms out from the pillow and she pulls with all of her might. Her body snaps out of the man's gasp and soon she's meeting Ji's surprised - _panicked_ - eyes.

Katara stabs the knife so deep in his heart that one of her fingers slips into the wound too.

She yanks the blade out. Looking straight into his eyes, she stabs again. And again. Hard, heavy stabs that have as much hate in them as his eyes had earlier. She's painting his distaste onto her new canvas. Her hatred and his are mixing together to bleed the life out of him.

Blood, hot and red and sick, spills instantly onto her skin. Everyone is in so much shock that they can't do anything but watch as her hands are stained red. It oozes, spurts, dripping down his shirt, onto her fingers, and onto her bedspread and her leggings.

She's frozen. Something about the way the blood pours out has her transfixed. She can't look away.

Ji's eyes roll and he falls to the side. His heartbeat is so slow that she knows he doesn't have much longer than a few moments left. Katara's hand shakes where she still has it held, empty, in mid-air. Her knife is deep in his chest.

There's a gurgle, a wet moan. And then there's nothing.

She can't breathe. Her hands are warmer than they should be. Looking down, she sees that they are still instead of shaking. They're...calm. So calm that it scares her just as much as the redness that is seeping into her skin.

Did she cut herself? No - the redness is _his_ - it's Ji's. It's all his and it's all so much.

Katara hears the faint, rapid heartbeat of the other guard and she turns sharply to face him. His eyes are wide, but when hers narrow and she starts moving her wrists to gather some of Ji's blood, they go wider and wider until they take up his entire face.

He was going to hold her down. He was going to _show her how real firebenders kept their prisoners_. He was _helping_ Ji -

She wanted his red, too.

The blood follows her commands. It wraps around the unknown man's neck and she pulls it tighter and tighter like a rope. He claws at his neck, fingers sliding through the redness until they drop at his side.

The only heartbeats in the room are her's and Lee's.

She drops the control over her bending and the blood spills onto the man's neck and torso. The collar of his white shirt turns pink, the blood expanding over his skin and the shirt and she can't help but watch as she sits. Her eyes are wide.

Her breath so far has been calm.

She blinks. She... The men... _Red._ There is so much red and it's _everywhere. _Panic clutches at her throat and she's gasping and jumping - falling - off of the bed. She slips on some blood and falls onto the floor. Hands scraping and sliding across the floor, she doesn't stop scattering away from the bed until her back hits the far wall.

She...She... _She just killed two men._

It should _not_ startle her. And for some reason, she doesn't think that the death part does. She's killed people before. _Lots_ of people. But...the blood...

It's all over her hands and her body and she thinks she can feel it on her face. She's stained with Ji's red and it's sinking into her flesh and -

- her nails are clawing frantically at her skin and she's ripping what's left of her clothes off. Her bindings are on haphazardly, and they're charred in some places but the necessities are still covered. She can't even look at herself because all she can see is red and blood and death.

She's shaking, shivering on the cold metal ground. But it's not from the cold - it's from the _red_.

So absorbed in the redness that covers her she is, that she doesn't even realize that on the other wall, Lee's heart is beating more strongly and he's stirring. Her head is buried between her knees and her arms are wrapped around her legs. She can't even bring herself to cry.

"Katara..." Someone whispers gingerly. She freezes. A hand - gentle but cautious - brushes against the bare skin of her arm. Katara jolts away and the touch leaves. "Katara _what happened?"_

She sniffs and finally brings herself to look up. Her eyes swim for a moment before they adjust and she sees Lee looking at her with concern. "They're dead."

His eyes drift down her body - _Ji's red_ - and they widen a little. When he finally stands and looks at the bed, he breathes in sharply. Katara wonders if what he sees is the red, too. Maybe he sees other colors like her blue.

"Come on." He says softly. Cautiously, he puts his hands on her arms and he slowly pulls her up. Katara puts her legs underneath her even though they're shaking. Her hand rests on his shoulder for support. "We need to inform the Prince about what happened."

He finds a cloak - one that isn't destroyed by the red - and drapes it across her shoulders. Katara doesn't have the strength to close it, so she lets it hang open. The red is exposed for all the ship to see.

But they don't see anyone. Not when they go outside the door - Lee closes it behind her - and not when they walk down the hall towards Zuko's room. Katara's hands hang limply by her sides but she holds her head high. The red may stain her body but she infected those men with her blue. She showed that she was not going to lay by without a fight.

Lee knocks on the Prince's door. Unlike other times, he doesn't automatically open it. Instead he waits and Katara realizes they are at the Prince's bedchamber rather than his office. They wait.

The Prince opens the door, rubbing his eyes and scowling. "What is..." He trails off when he sees the waterbender. Straightening, he looks to Lee for an explanation. "What happened?"

He steps aside so that Lee can prod Katara into entering. She hesitates but soon steps inside.

"Ji and Cho tried to attack her. They knocked me out but..." He looks at the Prince and gulps. "They're dead. I'm not sure what happened other than that.

"Your men," Katara says before Zuko can ask her for her story. "Your men tried to rape me." She swallows down the sickness that she feels in her throat. "I killed them before they could do anything."

She doesn't mention the red, the blood. That's on her body, a part of the story he has to see for himself.

Zuko looks down and she thinks she can see some shame in his eyes but she's not for sure. His arms cross over his bare chest and he turns to Lee. "Get rid of the bodies. We will tell the crew what happens to traitors tomorrow. Send one of the servants to clean up the mess when you've disposed of them."

Lee nods, gives Katara one last look, and then ducks out of the room.

"Did they hurt you?" Zuko asks her, uncomfortable.

"Not nearly as much as I hurt them." She replies honestly.

Zuko finally looks at her - _really_ looks at her and he seems to finally see the red. _All_ of the red. Hesitantly, he reaches out, his eyes watching hers to gauge her reaction and he grips the heavy cloak. He pushes it off her shoulders and it falls around her ankles. Katara tenses but she doesn't make a move to stop him.

Warm fingers brush her hair off her shoulders. She holds her breath, eyes on his as his hand drops back down to his side.

"I'm sorry." He says. The apology startles her. The honesty in his eyes does as well.

"Don't be." Her voice is flat like the knife she used to kill Ji. "I was doing it for the Fire Lord. You father shouldn't receive spoiled goods."

His eyes and body harden and he's back to the commanding, controlled Fire Prince. Zuko's stare narrows into a glare and he turns away from her, opening the other door in the room.

"You'll need to wash up. You're covered in blood."

-/-

Katara is taken back to her room when she's done with her bath. She had eventually fallen asleep in the ice - she had frozen it because she couldn't stand the warmth - and Zuko called for a female guard to wake her after they had finished with her room. The guard's eyes were kinder, almost pitying when she helped Katara dry off and dress in a fresh tunic and leggings.

Katara couldn't look at those eyes. This woman should hate her because she killed two fellow firebenders. Katara should hate the guard because she's a firebender. But she can't bring herself to hate the woman with the soft, gentle hands that are shockingly cool on her skin when she pulls the tunic over her head.

When she made it back to her room, she took the new blankets and put them on the floor. She grabs a pillow and the cleaned knife. When she cocoons herself in the sheets and finally falls asleep, she does so with the knife in her hand.

The cold sharpness of the knife erases memories of warm slickness.

Lee doesn't say anything when he brings her breakfast and water in the morning. He doesn't need to. The apology and unspoken words are in his eyes and written on his body as he hands the tray to her. He doesn't even ask why she is sleeping on the floor. He just _knows_.

She doesn't even tell him wants she wants to tell him: that it's not his fault, that nothing he could have done would have stopped what happened. But she can't find the energy to part her lips so she stays quiet as he closes the door.

For the first time, the _click_ of the lock makes her shoulders relax.

Iroh brings her tea. It's stronger than the cups she had before. He tells her jokes that almost make her smile. Then, there's sadness in his eyes and he picks up the red and gold book that she likes.

"Ah," he says knowingly. "_Poems from the Fire Nation_. I used to read this to my son when he was young. When he became older, he would read it to Zuko."

Katara's brows furrow. "Your son?" It's the first time she's spoken all day. Her mouth is dry but the sounds are strong.

"Lu Ten. He's a little older than Zuko is now. He was...banished by my brother for..._traitorous actions_."

Katara hears the weight in Iroh's words and doesn't say anything. She didn't know there was a banished Prince somewhere. The rumor was that Lu Ten had died and that was why Ozai had managed to gain the throne.

A king should have heirs and Ozai had two. It's harsh, but that's what she is told.

She wonders if her father knows this. That even if they manage to overthrow Ozai, there is another with a claim to that throne. Another that they - at least, _she_ - had not counted on. The list of her enemies is growing longer each day.

He leaves, something heavy on his shoulders and she's alone in the quiet. When she closes her eyes to sleep again, she dreams of red princes and flames.

Zuko does not come to see how she's doing. Katara wonders what she would say to him if he did. She wonders what _he_ would say to her.

-/-

She hears something that does not belong. A heartbeat - _three__ beats_ to be exact. One is hers, steady but slowly speeding up, and the other two are different. One calm, the other _not_. Katara rolls over, sitting up so that she can see her intruders. She holds her blanket around her shoulders.

It's dark and she has to blink through sleepiness for a few moments. The horrors of red have still plagued her dreams and at first, she's a little worried that she's still asleep and just having an awful, _awful_ dream. But the sharp cold air on her skin tells her that she's still awake.

She isn't sure that's a good thing. She would rather this be a nightmare. After a few seconds, her eyes adjust to the dim lighting and she blinks a few more times so that the rest of the tiredness is gone so that she can see.

Her blood freezes.

Lee is on the floor, knees touching the metal and his head hangs low with shame and with the weight of the other's hand bearing down on his neck. Katara's eyes travels up the arm, fear rising to her throat - _not again_ - and it catches there.

Learing, with a victorious smile wide and broad in the dark, is Zhao.

Her fists clench around her blanket.

-/-

**Notes: This chapter was pretty randomly put together. I didn't really plan this scene out and actually went back to write it. That's why it's so short in comparison to the others and ends sort of randomly. Hope it didn't seem to rushed. I had to make it fit between the prior chapter than the next one so unfortunately, the flow was a bit forced. (Is it bad that this was my favorite chapter to write?)**

**So... Guess who's back! Yikes! What do you think this means for Katara? And predictions about the next chapter? Would love to hear your thoughts!**

**Yes, Lu Ten is alive. (Maybe.) Iroh seems to think he is. What do you think? How does this affect Zuko and Azula?**

**I'm glad that y'all seem to take a liking to Lee. He's my little OC and he's so precious to me that I just want to pinch him. Such a sweetie. (Now...)**

**As always, thank you so much for the support. It means the world and the moon to me. :D**


	7. Chapter 7

She can't tell if Lee knew Zhao was out of his cell or not.

That isn't what's dominating her thoughts right now. Katara meets Zhao's eyes – dark, hungry, _sadistic _– and she starts scrambling back. The blanket makes her movements sloppy but eventually she meets the coldness of metal. Her palms scraps against the floor and her slippers slide so she pushes herself of to her hands and knees for better grip and crawls away from him.

He's watching her. Amused.

Zhao grips the back of her tunic and pulls her back, Katara digs her nails into the floor to try to get away but he easily slides her down. When she's back at his feet, he hauls her up. Katara stands on shaky legs, breath quick and heart racing and she's _shivering_.

_What was he doing out of the cell? How_ did he get out?

By the door where he is on his knees, Lee shoots a fireball in Zhao's direction. The former captain quickly turns and the flames hit _her_ instead of the intended target.

She screams as her tunic is caught on fire and the flames lick at her skin. Her hands slam down on the fabric. _Suffocate the flames_ - oh Spirits it _hurts._

Zhao shoots a stream of fire back at Lee. Katara's eyes widen in panic just before the guard leaps out of the way, rolling on the floor with his legs tangling in her blanket as he lands.

"Now Lee, let's not hurt the little waterbender too badly, okay? We can't have her dying on my watch." Zhao shifts his grip on her so that his hand is on the stomach burn and he draws the fire away from the tunic and absorbs it in his hand.

Katara exhales in relief. Her skin is burning but at least _she_ isn't. Her legs shake underneath her as she feels her blood surge to her abdomen to heal what it can. When Zhao wraps his large hand around her wrist and then grabs the other in the same grip, she winces but doesn't fight against him. If she waits, she can catch him off guard…

"Son of a bitch." Lee growls. Katara's eyes flicker up to him and sees that he's still in his fighter stance. He's scared. Lee's heart is racing. His face doesn't give it away but she just _knows_.

"I knew there was a rat on my ship. Zuko knew far too much and he showed up at the most opportune times for me _not_ to suspect it. I should have known it was you all along. I have to commend you on a job well done. Didn't suspect you for a moment."

Lee's cheeks redden and his eyes darken but he doesn't reply. Zhao grips her a little tighter against his chest. His other hand wraps around her neck and he squeezes in warning. Slowly, the former Captain moves towards the door and Lee mirrors it, stepping to get closer to the bed so that Zhao is in his view the entire time.

"I'm going to have to ask you to lead the way to Zuko's bedchamber. Don't do anything stupid – I'll burn her. Don't worry though. I won't kill her so that she can _feel_ the pain." Katara starts trying to move away from him but he squeezes, hand growing warmer, and she stills.

Lee straightens, a scowl on his face and Katara notices that his hand accidentally slips under the pillow on the floor when he stands. He slows – she can't breathe – and she nods her head _just a little_. Lee moves again and Katara wonders if Zhao noticed the glint of the knife in the dim light.

He doesn't seem to. The man holding her with the too-warm hand on her neck doesn't say another word to Lee as he walks out of the room. Zhao prods her forward with his knee pressing into her thighs. She's proud she only stumbles a little.

When they reach Zuko's room, Lee stops, his hand frozen over the handle like he's thinking about just trying to make a break for it. Zhao flares his fire and Katara can't help but whimper out loud at the uncomfortable heat on her throat. Lee stiffens his shoulders and opens the door.

The room is pitch-black until Zhao lets go of her throat for a moment to light a fire in the palm of his hand. Katara instantly shies away from it, the heat crackling in her ear and warming her for too much for her comfort. Zhao's chest rumbles as she laughs at her.

"Wha –" Katara hears Zuko mumble. Zhao's flames leap out to the candle by Zuko's bed and she finally sees him. He's sitting up, his eyes wide and his hair rumpled loosely around his face. The bleariness from his eyes clears and he instantly hardens when he sees Zhao and Katara.

"You thought you were the only on with friends on other ships?" Zhao says and she can hear his smirk. It infuriates her just as much as it had before. Zuko leaps out of the bed, his hands already forming a ball of fire and Zhao moves his hand with the fire closer to Katara. She squeezes her eyes closed, turning her face away from it. "Let's not get hasty, now."

Katara can feel Zuko's heart. It's significantly calmer than her's and Lee's, but not as calm as Zhao's. She can tell from the quickening and then the slowing that he's struggling to keep himself under control.

The fire moves away and Katara opens her eyes again. Zuko's hands are by his side.

Zhao moves the hand at her wrist to drape across her front. His arm is over hers so she still can't move but… her wrists are free. Her _palms_ are open.

Katara spots a few potted plants throughout the room.

A guard appears at the door and for a moment, Katara is actually _elated_ to see a firebender. But when the man immediately turns to Zhao and gives him a low bow, her heart drops to her stomach and Zuko's pounding heart is the only thing she can hear.

"…Bring me General Iroh," is all she manages to catch from Zhao. The guard nods and quickly leaves. Zuko is being betrayed… by some of his own men. This was something that she expected from a man like Zhao – his own crew appeared mutinous when Zuko took over – but she hadn't anticipated Zuko's men turning against _him_.

From the way Zuko's heart was beating, she imagines that he was thinking the same. For a moment, she can't help but feel sorry for him. His face ranges from sad to shock to furious and she knows that he's clearly trying to get it under control but he can't seem to. Everything is plain on his face.

Zhao still hasn't let go of her. Katara tries to hide the revulsion she feels from being so close to a man that tortured her – literally tried to boil her alive – but it's hard so she focuses all of her attention on the wall behind Zuko's head.

The door closes abruptly and Katara's head snaps over to see that the traitor soldier and General Iroh are standing in the room. The older man doesn't looked concerned at all. In fact, he's expressionless as he ties the bindings around his robe and rests his hands on top of his stomach.

Katara hopes that Zuko wasn't lying about his uncle being a firebender. It's hard to imagine this man with his strong love of tea a master at anything other than making people feel at ease.

"Good. Now that we're all here, perhaps we should get down to business. You – Iroh – stand over in that corner but don't say a single _word _to Zuko or anyone else. I'll burn the waterbender's neck clear off. You precious nephew won't have any chance of getting back in his father's graces if I do _that_.

Iroh goes quietly. He is the perfect opposite of the Prince, whose eyes are darkening while his fists clench tightly at his side. Where Iroh's heartbeat is steady and slow, Zuko's is wild.

Zhao presses down on her shoulders and Katara sinks to her knees. A bombardment of images and feelings from the previous time she did this floods her. She visibly recoils away and can practically feel the flames licking at her back.

She digs her nails into her fists and squeezes them in between her thighs. She can't lose her cool – not yet. She must stay calm as long as possible.

Hand still on her neck, Zhao clears his throat. "There's no use fighting here. We're all supposed to be _allies_ – friends! We're from the Fire Nation for Spirits' sake. Finding the Avatar will benefit us all, no?" He squeezes. "And now we have _this_ young thing here who could tell us exactly where she is. So why don't' we all agree to play nice and work together on this?"

"And let you get all the credit?" Zuko snaps. "I don't think so."

Katara decides that one of the reasons why the Fire Nation sucks is because of conversations like these taking place between two extremely ambitious and competitive men. This _never_ would have happened in the Southern Tribes.

"I'm willing to share." Zhao says cryptically and Katara isn't so sure if he means just the glory… Her own heart pounds in her chest but she remains quiet. She does manage to open her eyes though.

Zuko is glaring at Zhao. "You'll just wind up killing her like you almost did. Then where will we be? _Nowhere_. You don't have the nation's best interest at heart – only your own!"

His eyes burn as brightly as his fire.

"My interests _are_ the nation's interests. Sure, my interrogation techniques are a little….rough around the edges but given enough time and I can assure you that they'll work –"

"_No_. You might be willing to risk that but I'm not. There's too much at stake here."

"I have far more experience in this than you do, _Prince_. Allow me just an hour with her and I can guarantee you that she'll be telling us everything that she knows about the Avatar. Hell, I'll get her to _sing_."

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Lee shift. He's got the knife in his pocket. Is he going to attack without bending?

"I am taking her the Capital so that she can be interrogated _correctly_."

Zhao laughs. The sound makes Katara's blood freeze and boil at the same time. "You think their techniques are any different? Where did you think I learned them from, boy? Think all you want about the Capital but I can guarantee that it'll be the same there as it is on this ship. At least here, I do have some other motives for keeping her alive. They won't there. Not unless the Fire Lord takes an interest."

Now, Katara really does shiver. She knows _exactly_ the type of motive he's talking about. Her stomach turns and she resists the urge to start bending right then and there. Zuko looks down at her for a second before he goes back to Zhao. Was he trying to tell her something?

The plants feel more inviting than ever.

"How about this then, since you're so unwilling to work together for the common, greater good: I'll let you and your uncle walk free off this boat and onto another so that you can land on Earth Kingdom soil, alive and unburned with a few provisions in exchange for your cooperation in giving me the waterbender."

His hand on her shoulder squeezes. Katara watches the Prince carefully. She doesn't _think_ Iroh will accept… but she's not for sure. Zuko, however… Well she has no idea what he'll do. Looking at him, she can see and feel in the beat of his heart that he's uncomfortable.

"No."

The answer surprises her and Zhao.

Zhao waits. He's giving Zuko time to take back his answer. But the Prince stares him down and lifts his chin a little higher. Katara feels like she can't breathe.

The hand on her shoulder is getting warmer and more uncomfortable. Katara tries to lower herself away from it – Zhao's angry and his heart is starting to speed up and he's becoming warmer and warmer. She thinks she knows what's going to happen next and she would rather not be in the line of fire.

Zhao has other plans. He seems to sense her slying away because the next second, she's hauled back into place and he's got his foot on her back, pushing her down onto her hands and knees on the floor. Katara tries not to break under his weight, forcing herself to stay up as best as she can.

Katara can't see what's going on behind her, but when Zhao move his booted foot off of her, she's relieved.

Until the traitorous guard lashes her back with a fire whip.

She cries out – it was unexpected and she wasn't ready and it was so _hot_.

Katara can feel Zuko and Lee shift towards Zhao but they're instantly stopped. Zhao has his arm wrapped around her neck and she's hauled up against him like she was before, sitting on her knees with him lowered beside her and his breath on her ear.

"Move again and I'll scar her skin even more. Let me tell you that I'll make it as painful and prolonged as possible, too." Zhao commands. The waterbender opens her eyes and sees Zuko staring wide-eyed at her. He may be her enemy, but he's helpless just like she is right now.

Zhao lets her go but she remains upright. He moves from behind her, stepping closer to Zuko and the guard that was beside Lee comes up to her so that she can't try to get free, either.

"You thought you won earlier, didn't you?" Zhao is saying to Zuko. The Prince stiffens. The General's face grows stern as he watches the Captain speak to his nephew.

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches a glint and she shifts her eyes to Lee. He's got the knife in his hands and the guard's back is turned to him.

"How does it feel now? I've got your crew, your ship, your _prize_ and your _honor_ all in the palm of my hand."

Zuko's heart has never raced so fast before.

Katara motions to Lee and he gives her a nod. He looks to the guard who is watching Zhao torment Zuko and then throws the knife to Katara. She catches it easily, rising up and spinning to stab the guard in the chest up to the hilt.

Blood – hotter than normal – pours onto her hands and she yanks the weapon out to stab through again. The body falls to the floor and Katara drops the knife. It's no longer useful to her.

So much red. But she can't think about that - she spins to face Zhao and tries to ignore how warm her fingers are.

"How about we all just –" Zhao starts to speak but the _thump _of the guard's body on the ground interrupts him. He's surprised and she's able to twist her torso around to face him as her hands and arms start to move. The water from the plants is free – she can feel the death deep in her blood but she ignores it – and she coats her arms in the liquid, holding them in front of her so that she's _ready_.

"How about we _not_." Katara snaps. Her arms shoot forward and some of the water shoots out. She's aiming for a kill – sharpening the point into ice and Zhao barely has time to block it with fire over his hands.

Soaking back up the water that didn't evaporate, Katara recoils and suddenly multiple, tiny ice-discs are heading towards Zhao.

Lee and Zuko seem to understand – Zhao is having to battle off the three different attacks. She's relentless, pulling and yanking before throwing the water back at him in various forms. He fumbles at first, Katara slices his neck with an ice dagger, but he throws a fire stream at Lee. The guard is thrown back into the wall and hits his head, falling down onto the floor as his eyes struggle not to close.

Katara sneers and her attacks become more deadly. But Zhao is able to fend them off with the fire and she's running low on water. It won't be too long before she's out completely. By the look on Zhao's face, she's not sure how long she'll last if that happens.

General Iroh is watching it all with a blank stare.

Zuko and Katara manage to get Zhao in a corner. The door is opened and Katara makes a run for it, making an ice shield with the little water that she still has so that Zhao's barrage of fire missiles are absorbed.

She immediately breaks for the deck – Zuko's calling out after her and Zhao is growling but she ignores them. The moon – _it's close_! The ocean – she'll be able to get off this damned ship and –

Something heavy and hot smashes against her side and she's thrown into the wall. Her shoulder screams out in pain and she gnashes her teeth together, fists flying at her assailant and she has to duck to avoid a flare.

"You're not –" Katara buries her knee in his stomach, smashes his face against the wall and he's quiet. She's panting, blood boiling under her skin in warning. She's – _they're_ – under attack but this time it's from the inside. She doesn't know who to trust, who is on whose side. She's more than confused even though it all makes sense somehow and –

The moonlight on her skin feels like she's died and gone to nirvana. A surge of power washes through her body and Katara closes her eyes, tiling her face up to the moon to soak in as much as possible. Her palms are no longer itching – her heart now longer pounding – she can breathe and she isn't burning and she feels _alive_.

The fighting in the ship doesn't concern her as she is entranced by the moon and the power. She feels like she's one at last, she's a whole person, and everything is perfect and right and it doesn't matter anymore what is going on in the ship.

She's powerful again. She's a _real_ waterbender once more.

Senses heightened, Katara hears the heartbeats of the dozens of firebenders in the ship behind her before they start to pour onto the deck. Katara turns away from the moon, stepping back closer to the edge of the ship furthest from the door to give herself plenty of room.

Zuko is first – and his eyes widen when he sees that she's in the moon. She's sure that there's a huge grin on her face and that's affirmed when he starts to look… _afraid_.

"Help me fight Zhao," he hisses, stepping closer to her slowly. Katara doesn't move back. She's the powerful one now. He's begging _her_ for help after imprisoning her and that feels almost as good as the moon on her skin. "Help me fight Zhao and I'll let you free."

She can't help it – she laughs. She laughs until more firebenders pour onto the deck and they all pause to watch her laugh in their Prince's face.

"You'll _let me free_?" She taunts. Her arms curl up at her sides and before anyone can stop her, the ship is surrounded on all sides by towering waves of water. Zuko takes a step back but he doesn't look away from her eyes. "What makes you think you can stop me if I go now? I hope you can swim, firebender."

"Katara!" She hears Lee cry out and _that_ makes her pause. It's just enough time for Zuko to attack her with a firewhip and she drops the waves – the boat rises considerably, knocking a few soldiers off balance – so that she can take a large stream from the ocean and block it.

Katara wraps the ocean water around her waist, dropping into a fighting stance and watches Zuko watch her.

"I can drown this whole ship right now. There's nothing you can do to stop me." Katara smiles again. She's lying - but he doesn't know that.

"No – Katara you don't have to do that," Lee is pushing through groups of men to get closer to her and he steps in between Zuko and her. "Please – Please don't do that. There are good men on board – it's Zhao. Zhao is the one you should be fighting. He's coming – Katara, he's coming and he's going to kill you –"

A wave of fire divides the crowd and Lee and Zuko barely have enough time to throw themselves out of the way. Katara easily makes her own wall of water from the ocean. Through the water, she can see that there are several charred bodies that were in the path and behind them, there's Zhao.

More firebenders come up from behind him.

A battle breaks.

Zhao is propelling fire dart after fire dart, each getting progressively stronger and she wonders _how _he's still strong after being out of the sun for so long. Katara's wall of water absorbs the fire easily and he's getting agitated, coming closer and closer to where she stands at the bow.

Two firebenders get to Lee and Zuko and they're fighting. Everyone's fighting - those who are loyal to Zhao clearly outnumbering those who are on Zuko's side - and now is her perfect time to dive into the water but she _can't_. Zhao is finally close enough to kill and she feels so _powerful_ with the moon at her back that she can't bear to turn away.

After being so powerless for so long, feeling it surge in abundance through her veins is the best feeling in the world and she's not going to waste it.

She twists her wrists and arms. The wave that has blocked the attacks crashes on the deck of the ship. Firebenders are downed everywhere and she quickly freezes them in place before she takes the water that's around her waist to shoot at Zhao.

He's desperately pulling at his legs to get free from the ice that is trapping him but he can't. He is forced to block her attack and then he's firing a flaming bullet back at her. Katara gets more water, catches the bullet, then twists and circles before shooting it all back towards him.

When he deflects her attack, Katara moves the ice that surrounds his ankles up to cover his legs. She hardens it, making sure that he won't be able to burn himself out of it but she has to stop just as he sends another fire ball her way.

Katara blocks it with a shield of water and before she can blink, she's attacked by more fireballs and missiles. Looking up, she sees that _most_ of the firebenders are attacking _her_ now.

_Idiots_ – she might have left them alone if they hadn't –

A ball breaks through her water and grazes her cheek. Katara recoils at the heat and her eyes open just in time to see Zhao and a few others break out of the ice. She turns her water shield into dozens of tiny ice missiles and she hurls them forward indiscriminately. If they're going to attack _her_, she _will_ attack them.

Zhao's second wall of fire crashes against hers. Katara takes a step back to ground herself better and she pushes it back. They're both sustaining their walls – she's gritting her teeth and he's furrowing his brow and she isn't nearly strong enough just yet to keep it up for much longer.

A dozen fire whips are heading for Zhao and he has no choice but to let his wall break to her water in an attempt to deflect them. Katara lets her wave crash down on that half of the deck and Zhao falls under the pressure – sliding back along the deck and into a few of his soldiers bodies. He sits up, drenched and steam coming off his body and he looks _furious_.

Katara forms a blade of ice from the remaining water on the deck and flicks her wrist, her arms push forward and the ice is buried in Zhao's chest.

His mouth gapes open.

She pushes more and more blades through his skin. Two, then three are stuck in his chest and stomach before she stops.

The soldiers that are Zhao's allies send fire attacks her way, some stepping to shield Zhao's body. Katara brings water from the ocean and lets it tower in front of her to absorb the attacks so that she can –

"No, Katara," Lee pleads. Katara's eyes flicker down and he's in front of her. Zuko is racing towards her, arm outstretched and she tenses, thinking that he's going to attack her. When she raises her own hand to stop him, Lee grabs onto her wrist and she snaps her head to glare at him. "Don't do this. Don't kill them."

Katara's eyes soften despite her resolve. Lee, he's helped her so much these past few days with the water and she can't… she can't just leave the soldiers here! They'll come after her, after the Avatar and she'll just have to fight them all again before they can kill anyone else.

But… Lee is begging her to let them live.

"They're only soldiers. They're just following orders. _Don't_, please."

A fire missile pierces through the shield and she doesn't have enough time to stop it – but _Zuko _does, and he deflects it easily. Katara's eyes betray her confusion and she steps back.

"_Go_. I'd rather you be out _there_ than with Zhao. You'll die when the sun comes up if you stay any longer." Zuko says as he deflects another missile. Her shield has been up too long and she hasn't sustained it enough. It's getting weaker.

Despite her new-found power, it's still the weak period before the full moon. She glances down at her palms, itching to feel the surge of water rushing through her and she closes her eyes.

Katara is so confused and none of this is helping and she just _can't_. Zuko is defending her and Lee is begging her. It's all too much. Her head swims and she can't _breathe. _She should kill these soldiers but –

_They're only soldiers. They're just following orders._

Katara opens her eyes. She tugs her hand out of Lee's and give him a firm look. "Just this time, firebender."

Relief spreads through his face and he nods. He quickly turns to help Zuko, Katara turns to the sea. She puts one foot on the side and then the other. The ocean is calling to her.

She looks back to see Zuko and Lee fending off attacks.

"Go with her, Prince," Lee mutters as he shoots a fireball at one of the soldiers. "If Zhao gets you, you're dead."

Zuko is sending one long fire lash towards a group of soldiers when he gives Lee an incredulous look. Katara freezes where she is on the railing. "I can't leave my men or my uncle. They'll –"

"You know Zhao will never hurt General Iroh! He won't be able to if he even tried. Just _go_!"

If the Fire Prince goes with her… She can take him to her father and _they'll _have a bargaining chip for once… Katara turns to watch the two men fight. The water shield is getting weaker from all of the fire and there's steam everywhere.

"A good Captain –"

" – knows when he's lost, now_ go._" Seeing that the Prince isn't moving other than to shoot fireballs, Lee growls and shoots Katara a look. The waterbender gets a stream from the ocean and curls it around the Prince's waist, pulling him towards her.

"_Stop!" _He tries to obliterate the water with his fire but Katara has an endless supply of water and a reason to take him with her. "Lee!"

"_Go!"_

Her last image is a fire whip catching Lee's tunic on fire when she rocks forward and dives into the ocean, letting the water rise up to suck her and Zuko in.

-/-

**Notes: **Tried to write it where Lee went with them but it just didn't fit. Hope little dude turns out okay :/

But yay, Katara is FINALLY off that damned ship! And looks like she has company. Who do you think is going to win out?

Thank you so much for all of the support. It means so much! Seriously, it's the best kind of inspiration. :D Over 50 reviews! Wow. Just WOW.

New updating schedule: Tuesday & Friday. Trying to slow it down a bit so it'll be steady when school starts. (let's just see how that goes. I'm horrid with schedules. Aaand... as you see I've already failed.)

**UPDATE 1/3/14: Chapter 1 has been updated with a small AU background summary. Reading that is highly recommended because it does give some insight onto the state of the AU world. I probably SHOULD have put that at the very beginning anyway. It might make some things become clearer and will definitely give you an idea of how the Avatar world looks right now. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Recap: **_Zhao is out of his prison and Katara finally made it into the moon. With her renewed strength and bending energy, she fought back against the firebenders with Lee's and Zuko's help. She managed to down Zhao but was soon becoming overwhelmed and weakened by the other benders. Zuko urged her to jump off the ship, Lee agreeing before telling Katara to take the Prince with her. Realizing his importance, Katara manages to drag Zuko off the ship and into the water._

_-/-_

Katara groans, shifting on the sand that's embedding itself uncomfortably into her skin and scratching at her face so that she can put her elbows and hands up underneath her. She tries to pick herself up but fails, falling back down on the sand with a whimper as her eyes close against the unwelcome light.

Beside her, she can feel the heartbeat - barely - of the firebender Prince. Her arms feel like liquid in a very bad way and she feels like she's so tired she could sleep for weeks. Maybe bringing him along was a bad idea. Not only was she too tired to fight him off if he tried to attack her now, but he also had fought against her every single step of the way when she practically kidnapped him off the ship.

So much of her energy had been used to make the two of them a perfect, air-filled bubble so that they could make it away from the ship safely without having to exhaust themselves by swimming. But that seemed to only help Zuko in the end.

She should have just made him swim. See how much of a match his fire was against the ocean.

He's quiet though. Katara almost thinks that he's asleep but his heart is beating too strongly for that. Even in her weakened state, she can tell that he's awake and probably thinking about his crew - Lee - back on that ship with Zhao and the traitors.

Katara may hate the Fire Nation - she may even hate Zuko because he's the damned Prince - but even she knows that what happened was cruel. Sure, Zuko was her enemy and all but he wasn't a vindictive man like Zhao was. He wasn't evil. How the majority of Zuko's men could turn against him like that was insane.

There was also Iroh. She was more concerned about Lee, he being one of the first and only Fire Nation-ers to actually show her some compassion. The image of his clothes catching on fire has haunted her ever since she saw it. She hopes that he's okay, wherever he is though that fate is doubtful.

But Iroh. Zuko is probably more worried about his uncle than his crew or his ship. Katara doesn't know much about the uncle-nephew dynamic the two have, but she assumes that they're somewhat close.

She feels like she should console him somehow. However, that would require her having to open her eyes and move and she doesn't feel like doing that at the moment. Besides, he's still a firebender and the enemy. Consoling the enemy is _not_ something that she should be doing at the moment.

There are other things to worry about. Like getting back her energy now that the three weak days are upon her. Or figuring out where in the world they are. Or trying to work out how she's going to get the Prince to go with her to her father without him figuring it out.

She can't exactly take him prisoner just yet. She's about to be weak and he's stronger than her right now anyway. Trying to get him now will be offering him an invitation to kill her right on the spot. It's daytime, and firebenders are at their strongest then like she's at in night when the moon is out.

She'll have to wait. Hopefully, fate won't speed up like it had over the past couple of days. She's starting to get a little dizzy thinking about what all has happened.

"You should have left me there." The Prince grumbles. Katara turns her head to face him and opens her eyes. He's staring up at the sky, the sun making him look yellow and gold and his black sleep tunic is burned in places.

They'll need new clothes. The ones they're wearing now will attract too much attention if they decide to go through villages. She can tell that her tunic is probably is in a far worse state than his. The sand is scraping her skin in delicate places.

"Lee was right," she breathes out. "Zhao would have killed you the moment that shield gave out."

Zuko quiets.

She pushes to the side and rolls over onto her back, staring up at the sky and she's still trying to catch her breath. "Besides, after what I saw happening on that ship, did you really think that you would have been able to beat him? Most of your crew was fighting _you_."

"A Captain stays with his ship. Always."

"You didn't let Zhao stay with his. So he took yours."

"My point exactly." Zuko shifts but groans. Is he hurt? "There were still some men loyal to me. What do you think is going to happen to them? To Lee? They're all in trouble and they don't have the good position that my uncle has."

Lee. Yes, he probably will be in a tough position. But she can't think about him. She needs to focus on what she _can_ change. Lee had the opportunity to go with them - she would have taken him, probably - but he chose to stay behind.

Still. Knowing that his fate was more than likely not..._good_ makes her close her eyes and take in a deep breath. _She can't think about that._

"Lee is a soldier. He understood the risk when he chose to stay by your side instead of Zhao's." Katara says matter-of-factly.

When she looks over at Zuko she can see his hands ball up into tight fists. The tendons of his knuckles protrude. "What I did wasn't honorable."

"Well, console yourself with the knowledge that you didn't have a choice in the matter." Katara manages to sit up now even though her arms and legs still shake from exertion. "I can live with being the dishonorable one if it means that I'm alive."

He just glares at her. Katara smiles but there's no warmth, only annoyance. _Honor_ - who can think of something like that when they're alive on a beach instead of on fire in the bottom of some ship in a cell? _Ungrateful_.

She could understand the guilt over leaving his fellow soldiers. That, she can take. But that stupid honor thing is bugging her for some reason and she hopes that he doesn't start talking about it again. _Honor_. Doesn't he know there is no honor in war?

Katara gives him a sideway glance. "Your uncle... Iroh. What - What happened to him?"

His jaw works. "When you left the room, Zhao tried to go after him. My uncle and Lee held him back while I ran after you. I-I'm not sure what happened after that. He's probably in one of the cells now. He wasn't on the deck."

The waterbender doesn't know how to reply to that.

The ocean isn't too far away and so she slides across the sand so that she can stick her legs in the waves. The tides wash over her and she slips further down, not caring that her clothes are getting soaked. She can bend that out later even if the salt will stay behind.

They need new clothes anyway. Might as well ruin these a bit more.

Water covers her legs and then glides up to her waist. It feels good, _better_ than good and she absorbs it in as much as possible. It's no match for how the moon energizes her, but it's helping her more than lying on the sand under the hot sun.

"So what are your plans now?" She turns to look over her shoulder to see that Zuko is sitting up. Katara shrugs, then turns to look back at the ocean.

"Figured you would come up with something, Prince. Aren't I still your prisoner or something?"

He pauses. "I… I'm not sure…"

Her slipper-covered feet dig into the sand and she wants to take her shoes off but that means she has to take her legs out of the cool water. "Well you better be figuring that out. Or else we'll be on this beach for a while."

"You mean you jumped off the ship without any sort of _plan_?"

"Not really the planning type." That was always Sokka. Her brother would have a plan. _That_ makes her shoulders slump and she stops trying to dig her slippers into the sand. "I just kind of go with the flow."

"Is that a waterbending joke?"

"Might be if you make it one. Don't hear you laughing though so it must not have been that funny." _Sokka_ was the one who told all of the jokes.

Katara sighs and stretches out her legs. Her head falls back when she takes in a deep breath. What she wouldn't give for a bath right now. What she wouldn't give to see her brother.

She needs...something to distract her. She can't start thinking about family now. It'll just be depressing.

Her legs are steadier underneath her when she stands ankle-deep in the water. She slips out of the shoes and the leggings, her hands tucking up underneath the tunic when Zuko's face turns bright red and he looks away.

"_What are you doing?_" He asks the rock beside him.

"I'm taking a swim, what does it look like I'm doing?" She throws the tunic somewhere on the beach and smirks at his discomfort.

Her bindings stay on when she walks deeper into the water. She gets waist-deep before she finally dives in and starts to swim.

When she comes up for air, she takes out her braid and starts brushing through the matted knots, bobbing up and down with everything concealed because the water is about shoulder-deep. The Prince is too far away for her to see the expression on his face.

She starts scanning the forest and beach instead. From what she can see, there are no little camps near their immediate area but there are curls of smoke coming from somewhere in the forest. It's the closest thing that she can see that gives some evidence of life. They'll need to head that way if they want to find other people so they can start piecing together where they are and what they need to do.

Shaking out her hair now that it's all loose and untangled, she lies back and starts to float on the water, closing her eyes and soaking it all in.

She stays in the water until the sun get a little higher in the sky. Swimming back to the shore, she sees that Zuko hasn't moved much since she got in the water. If he had any sense, he would have taken the opportunity to flee.

Seems that the Prince doesn't know how to take advantage of a good escape opportunity. That's good for her, bad for him. _Idiot_.

He doesn't look away when she climbs out and sits on the sand beside him. She leans back on her palms. Even though she could bend the water off of her skin to get dried faster, she lets the sun do it for her instead.

"How did the etching stay on your skin with your healing powers?" Zuko asks, nodding his head to her hip. Katara looks down reflexively.

"Waterbenders get it when they first discover their abilities. The full powers haven't really kicked in then so my body didn't keep healing it."

"How old were you?"

"Six, maybe seven? I'm not for sure. It's been a while and it was pretty painful." A few moments of awkward silence settles. Katara looks past the firebender to the forest. "Do, uh, do firebenders have anything like it?"

Zuko shakes his head. "No."

"Shame. I think they look really cool even if it hurts. It's a mark of pride in my culture."

"I think it's barbaric."

Katara narrows her eyes. "Well then don't look at it if it offends you, _Prince_."

He looks like he's going to say something else but he just looks away. Katara keeps her glare as he works his jaw and then she stands. Her tunic is in a stiff heap but she bends what water is still in her hair onto the fabric to wash over it a little.

She gets dressed quickly in the leggings and shoes, then puts her hands on her hips and waits for Zuko to look at her. "I wasn't really serious when I said that we should stay on the beach until we figure everything out. We should go find a village or something and then figure out what we're going to do."

"And _why_ should I take orders from you?" Zuko stares up at her.

"Seriously?" Katara puts her hands on her hips. "Fine - if you're having such a big problem with me just deciding to go to the village then _you_ tell me what we should do."

He stands. There is sand all over his tunic but _he_ can figure that out for himself. "Well, I think we should…"

"What? We should do_ what_, Prince?"

"We should… oh _damnnit_, let's just get to the village. I can't _think_ in this sun."

Katara quirks an eyebrow at him. "You can't think in the sun? You're a firebender. Just accept the fact that I was right and you're an idiot for not just going along with what I said in the first place."

"Are you _always_ like this?" Zuko snarls.

"Only to people like _you_." Katara turns on her heel and starts marching away. She gets a yard or two away before he starts following her. She hears him huff, pouting behind her. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes are start attacking him, Katara balls her hands into fists and stares straight ahead.

They're in the forest when he finally talks to her.

"Do you even know where we're going?"

"Do I look like I know where I'm going? _Why_ should _I _have to know? You're the Prince of the Fire Nation, surely you know something about this damned… _place_!" Katara throws him a glare over her shoulder. He's catching up easily and soon they're walking side by side through the trees.

"Well you were the one who marched away first. I assumed that you had at least some idea of where we are."

"We're somewhere on the south side of the Earth Kingdom. We were what, three, maybe four weeks from the Fire Nation when Zhao took over?"

Zuko looks down at her. "No. More like _a_ week. But I don't know how far you got us off course through so it's not like I have a clear idea of where we are."

"Oh please, I couldn't have gotten us _that_ far off." She rolls her eyes. A week? She was _way_ off with her guessing. Maybe she couldn't read the tides as well as she thought...

"We should stay on the beach until we get some idea of where we are."

"And get stuck there when night comes? I'd rather sleep in a tree than on the beach."

"_Sleep_? In the _forest_?"

"If we can't find some place to stay then that's our only possibility! Unless _you_ want to sleep on the forest floor and risk the chance of getting attacked by some wildlife. Actually, nevermind. You can stay on the floor. It's actually a good idea."

Zuko glares at her.

"Come on, we can't be that far away from a village. You didn't see the smoke? There's at least a camp a few miles away from here," Katara points North in a general direction to show where she saw it.

"Great idea. Let's go find the people that the smoke belongs to and see if they'll let us join them. Especially considering that we're strangers and we have no idea who are what they are - they can be _murderers _for crying out loud!"

Katara rounds on him and pokes him in the chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"And _what exactly _are you so afraid of? We're both master benders and we're stuck in the middle of this forest with no clue about anything! So _of course_ we're going to have to find the only semblance of civilization around and if they ask for trouble then we'll have no choice. Now stop whining and follow along or I'll leave you out here _alone_. Let's see how long you last _then_, Prince."

His eyes narrow but he doesn't say anything. With a pleased _humph_, Katara turns away and starts marching away again. Once more, Zuko lets her get a little far before he starts following her again.

"Just saying that perhaps we should be a little cautious." He mumbles under his breath when he's caught up by her side again.

If she had known that they were going to be at each other's throats the entire time she would have left him on that damned ship. But instead of saying this out loud, she sighs and says something not nearly as confrontational.

"You can be the cautious one for right now. I just want to eat something and find out where we are."

"You're rather reckless, aren't you?"

"_I'm_ the reckless one?" Funny, she had thought the same about him. She wasn't the one who had given a waterbender a knife and access to water. He hadn't cuffed her after the first day on his ship and his uncle had invited her for _tea_ for Spirits' sake.

"You're just going to march into...whatever it is that we're marching into with no plan whatsoever?"

"Yes. What's wrong with that?" She stumbles - her legs still shaking from bending the night before - but she catches herself and tries to smooth it over.

"Don't you think that we should _watch _them for a little bit first? To see if they're benders or where they're from; if it's a village or just a campsite? Maybe they're firebenders and you're walking into a trap." She can tell that he let that last part slip out accidentally because he instantly clamps his mouth shut.

That _does_ sound like a good idea… She would have thought about that later, she was sure. She just hadn't told _him_ that. Katara sighs.

"You don't think I planned on doing that?" She sort of lies.

He glares at her again. It's starting to become a permanent thing. "Maybe we should just _not_ speak to each other from now on unless it's absolutely necessary, waterbender."

"That's the best idea you've ever had, Prince."

-/-

The smoke is coming from a campsite. And no, they're _not_ firebenders. Instead, the four or five men and women - there's a tent and she isn't sure if someone is in it or not - are clearly nonbending nomads.

Every time she moves to step towards their little campsite, Zuko reaches out and holds her back. He asks for just a few more minutes of watching before they start asking them questions.

The fourth time, Katara yanks her arm away from his hand and gives him a hard glare. "_Are you serious?_" She hisses. "_We just need to ask for directions. I'd like to do that before it gets dark."_

Zuko eyes the group warily. _"Just a few more minutes."_

"_No. Now."_ Katara stands up and quickly jumps out from behind a bush, stepping forward and ignoring Zuko hissing for her - referring to her as _waterbender_ and he really needs to find something else to call her or else she's going to rip his throat out - and walks for the camp. He can follow behind if he wants to, but _she_ isn't too keen on sleeping in a tree.

She soothes down the front of her tunic and tosses her hair over one shoulder. Luckily she had a ocean-bath or else there's no telling how much dirt and grime she would have on her. Though knowing that these nomads are probably Earth people, it might not have hurt her.

A woman sees her first, and Katara slows her pace and gives the woman a small smile as she comes nearer to her. She doesn't look over her shoulder to see if Zuko has followed her because it might look suspicious.

"Excuse me? Hello - hi - I have lost my way and was heading towards a village around here. I can't quite remember the name but I was hoping that you would give me some directions…?" She trails off awkwardly, looking around at their faces to gauge some reaction.

"There's a small village that way," the woman who first saw her raises her hand and points west. "It's the nearest one. Not sure if that's the one you're looking for but they're nice people. Nice enough, that is."

"Thank you so much! I hope you all have a safe journey to… wherever it is that you're going." She smiles brightly. She couldn't wait to rub it into Zuko - she _told_ him that this was going to be easy. They could have started walking fifteen minutes ago!

Katara bows her head to show her appreciation and begins to back away. When she turns, she bumps straight into the chest of a man that she hadn't seen earlier. Blank brown eyes stare down at her and she mutters an apology before stepping to the side.

The man grabs her arm.

Katara stops. All of their hearts are beating calmly except for hers.

"Excuse me," she says and pulls at her arm. "I must be going now." She tugs at it again.

The man doesn't let go.

"Dearie, why don't you stay a little longer?" The woman says behind her. Katara quirks an eyebrow. What were they playing at?

"I have family in the village. They're probably worried that I haven't made it there yet. I really shouldn't stay longer but thank you." Her voice is starting to get a little colder. He _still_ hasn't let go and if he holds on for much longer she may very well form a water sphere around his head.

The man tugs her back to the small encampment. Katara follows but turns around so that she can see the others. Surely they have water somewhere so she won't have to bend it out of the plants.

"I'm sure they won't miss you." The woman smiles but it doesn't exactly make Katara feel any better. "For a few more minutes, of course," she adds.

"I don't have any belongings for you to steal." Katara lifts her chin, determined to show them that no matter what they do, it's not going to be easy. Maybe getting directions from them isn't going to be as easy as she thought it would be.

The woman frowns. Can any of the other men and women speak? "Well that's too bad. But we're not really interested in your belongings."

"She's Water Tribe." The man behind her says. He twirls a lock of her hair around his finger, tugging on it a bit as if to test the strength. "We'll get a good price. I didn't think the Fire Nation left any behind."

Katara realizes that the reason the others are not speaking is because they're too busy studying the ground. Their hands are in their laps, and when she focuses she sees that there are ropes wrapped around their wrists, tying them together.

_Slavers_. Her lips curl into a snarl.

"She a bender? Water Tribes normally etch their young at the waist if they show signs of bending." The woman sounds pleased. The man behind her roughly turns her around and starts tugging at the bottom of her tunic.

Katara pulls the water out of a group of weeds. Ignoring the energy pull that it takes, she answers that question for them by quickly forming the best waterwhip possible with her limited mobility. Sending it straight into the side of the man's head, she twists the opposite way.

He's startled, quickly dropping her hand as the whip sends him tumbling away from her. It was a weak attempt but she's free. Katara sucks the water back towards her body and sends it hurling towards the woman where it wraps around her waist and sends her straight into the ground.

The woman's heartbeat flashes furiously for a moment before it dies down and Katara suspects that her head hit a rock because there wasn't a whole lot of force use din that push. The man's though is still beating strongly, so she doesn't even give the woman a second glance when she takes the water back.

Building some momentum by twirling it around her hips, she flicks her wrists and shoots the water spear into the man's chest, pushing him back a few steps until he's up against a tree. Katara draws the water up so that it's covering his face and holds it there.

Fifty seconds pass. The man's heart slows and he passes out. Katara takes the water back and circles it around her waist so that she can turn her attention to the others.

Her arms shake when she puts them back down at her side. She's sweating - more tired than before. The moon yesterday hadn't been enough and she used most of the energy she gained on Zhao. Katara tries to keep her head up as she looks at those sitting on the ground.

They stare at her, slack-jawed and a little frightened. Huddling together, Katara puts her hand up and tries to look as harmless as possible as she takes a step towards them.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she says soothingly. "I want to set you free. Will you let me cut your binds?"

"Wait - don't do that yet." Katara huffs in annoyance when Zuko's voice comes from behind her. She looks over her shoulder to glower at him as he swipes at bushes and branches to get closer to her. "We need to figure out where we are and they can tell us."

"Which is _why_ we should set them _free_." She replies pointedly.

"And give them a chance to get away?" He's finally beside her, a little winded with reddened cheeks.

"They're not our prisoners. They're _people_ and they don't deserve to be bound up. Those two were slavers." She points to the two that are passed out. Zuko eyes the bodies and then gives her a questioning look. "No, they're not dead. Just sleeping for a bit."

"I think you should take my advice on this one. Especially since your last little plan sort of backfired."

Katara scowls. "I handled it very well, I think. A minor inconvenience is all."

"I'd rather not have any more _inconveniences_. We should ask them, then let them go."

"I thought we decided to not talk to each other unless it was absolutely crucial? Can we go back to doing that?"

"The nearest village is where they said. West from here. I-I can lead you there, if you want a guide. But you have to set us free." One of the young men says. "A-And you have to promise not to hurt us. I'm an earthbender."

"Like that's going to help you at all?" Zuko asks incredulously. Katara elbows him in the stomach, Zuko breathes in sharply and she gives him a deadly glare.

Katara takes a bit of water from around her waist and slices through the rope bindings.

"If you don't mind, we would really like a guide," she tries to smile reassuringly at him. "Well, I do at least. He's just following along. Please, don't mind his rudeness."

The three others have already started running away from them without even a thanks. She tries to not let it bother her but she can't help but frown. The man who spoke, however, stays and steps forward towards them while he rubs at his wrists.

"Are you hurt?" She asks.

He shakes his head. "Nothing that I can't handle." Breaking into a broad smile, he takes something from a supply pile and tosses it to Katara. It's a water jug. "Just in case there are no plants around. I'm Haru, by the way. Thank you for, you know, rescuing us and all."

Haru blushes, as if a little sheepish and Katara can't help but smile. He looks around her age; dark skin, tall with eyes the color of spring grass. His hair is longer than what she's used to on men but he has it tied back away from his face with a green band to keep the looser pieces from falling into his face.

Katara bends the water that's around her waist into the jug. "Thanks. My name is Katara, by the way. This is…" She looks at Zuko. Did he want to give his real name? Did these people know Fire Nation names? Would they recognize him?

"Han. My name is Han." He lies flatly. Katara raises her eyebrows, impressed. _That_ was a quick reaction.

She looks back to Haru. "And really, that's not really a problem. I couldn't have just…let something like that happen."

"You'd be the first." His facial expression turns a bit odd. Katara frowns - what did he mean by that? "Well, if you want to make it to the village by nightfall, we should probably get going."

He starts leading the way and Katara leans over to Zuko and whispers, "_Han?_"

"_It's a common name in the colonies._"

Katara is rather impressed. She's rarely ever able to lie well, and even then she can't do it great on the spot. Zuko was able to do it just like _that_, like it was nothing .

A part of her says that knowing that should make her extra cautious around him. Katara straightens back up and tries to keep pace with Haru, who clearly has had more experience walking through the forest.

The weakness from bending is taking it's toll on her. She trips far too many times and her legs quiver like she's a newborn koala goat.

When she slips and lands flat on her behind, she doesn't miss the way the Prince smiles down at her like he's enjoying her weakness.

She wonders why he hasn't firebended her yet.

-/-

**Notes**: Please make sure that you re-read the newly added section on Chapter 1. It gives a picture of what the Avatar looks like and reveals an important plot piece. :D Some things might make more sense after reading that.

Yay! Haru is here! (was i the only one who _hated _his mustache in s3?) And look at that: the waterbender and firebender are not getting along. Surprising.

Thank you so much for the amazing support! If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don't hesitate to put it in a review or in a PM. I try to reply to everyone/everything! Or, you can ask on tumblr if you don't have an account here (username: wannabewonderbender )

Next update on Saturday!


	9. Chapter 9

**Recap: **Katara and Zuko landed on an Earth Kingdom beach. Not wasting any time, Katara started towards where she believed was a village, stumbling upon a group of traveling slavers. After freeing the captives, she found a guide in Haru, an earthbender who promised to lead them to a nearby village for food, supplies and a place to sleep. Zuko proves to be a skilled liar while Katara shows that she can be a tad reckless.

-/-

Zuko has already proven to be less-than-enjoyable company, so Katara turns her attentions instead to Haru. She quickly abandons the broody, now-silent firebender in favor of the new earthbender. After all, they _had_ agreed not to speak to one another unless it was absolutely necessary.

And right now, it was not absolutely necessary.

So, she quickly speeds up and begins chatting with Haru. Zuko is left behind and she could _feel_ his broodiness behind her. It is pitiful, really. She tries to give him the benefit of the doubt considering he _has_ just lost his ship, his crew and what he thought was his honor. But dammit, she has been through the same exact thing but instead of walking through a forest, she has been burned over and over again.

He can just set himself on fire if he thinks she is going to give _him_ any sympathy.

"Where did you learn to waterbend like that?" Haru asks curiously. "I mean, I haven't met any other waterbenders before so I'm not sure about...all the things but I didn't hear of anyone able to take it from _plants_."

"I have only met two others who could do it. Both trained me but only one would show me how to take it from plants. Hama - she taught me a lot of things, actually." Katara trails off, not sure if she wants to go into the whole bloodbending thing.

A glance at the earthbender shows that he's a little horrified at the whole plant-thing. Yeah, maybe she should keep quiet about the bloodbending. She can only imagine how he would react to _that_.

The water jug taps against her leg with each step. She's glad that that she has another skin to save the water in. Her other one was lost when they were fighting Zhao, right before she was taken as a prisoner on his ship.

"It's...strange. A little cool, but strange. I don't mean to offend -"

"_Please_," Katara waves her hand, "don't worry about that. I'd rather you go ahead and say what you're thinking." Pausing, she turns over her shoulder to add, "I don't mean that you can do the same."

Zuko's snort proves that he's been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"How did you two come across each other, anyway? You don't seem to like each other… And Han, you look like you're from the Fire Nation."

"Fire colonies," Zuko corrects with an easy lie. "Half and half. I favor my mother more than my father."

Haru seems pleased enough with that answer and Katara guesses that Zuko is leaving it up to her to answer the other half.

"I…" she clears her throat, "I was traveling through the colonies and met Han here. We were - We were heading towards the same Earth Kingdom town and d-decided to just travel together. You know, safety in numbers and all." A weak chuckle.

The earthbender does _not_ look satisfied with her answer but he doesn't press the point. When he looks back at the forest, the firebender behind her jabs her in the back with his elbow. Katara turns to scowl at him and he rolls his eyes at her.

The two of them are definitely going to have to come up with some sort of story as to why they were traveling together. One that she could practice a bit before she repeats it to anyone.

She tries to change the subject. "So how come you didn't try to bend yourself out of the slaver's camp? Surely you could have fought back with bending and all."

"Well, I _could_ have if I knew how to control by bending." He blushes again and rubs the back of his neck. "Bending… isn't exactly good here. Everyone who can is taken away and never seen or heard from again. The Fire Nation forbids it so it's better to just..._not_ do it."

"Wow. I can't imagine _not_ bending." Katara shakes her head. Bending...it makes up so much of her identity that she doesn't even want to think about how her life would be without it. She looks at Haru sadly, more than a bit of pity in her eyes and he frowns.

"It's...fine. I'm not going to lie and say it's great but I'd rather hide it than be taken away. There are worse things than not being able to bend."

She looks away. "Yeah. I guess there are." Though she can't really imagine anything right now. "Do you know where they take the benders?"

"No one knows. Just that they go away." Haru shrugs.

"They did that to the Southern benders, too," she says quietly. Flashbacks of a tanned, outstretched hand and a betrothal necklace flash in her mind and she closes her eyes. _Mom._

Crossing her arms over her chest, Katara risks a glance behind her to see Zuko looking down at the ground. Whether he's thinking about what Haru is saying or trying not to trip is a mystery; but she hopes that he's pondering the earthbender's account.

"Are there any benders in your village besides you? People that can probably teach you in secret?" Katara asks. If there were no masters - or even any novices - then Haru would never be able to learn how to control his ability. Just because he doesn't want to use it doesn't mean that he shouldn't know how just in case anything goes wrong.

Unintentionally, she thinks about the last raid on her village. The one where she finally cracked and started waterbending even though there were not supposed to be any there. With Sokka's and a few other warrior's help, they had been able to fight off the tiny raiding party. Her bending had been wild, untrained and weak in comparison to the firebenders.

But they fought. Fought until they all couldn't stand up any longer.

When her father had taken her to the Northern Tribe to have her trained, Pakku - the master instructor - had been impressed. Not only was it the fact that she was a girl, but she caught on rather quickly. She had lost count of how many times the old Master would mumble something under his breath and get that thoughtful look in his eye.

Katara always got the feeling that he _knew_ something. Something that he wasn't telling anyone. And that bothered her.

Frowning, she tries to focus on the now instead of the then.

Just because it's illegal doesn't mean that Haru shouldn't be able to use it. There's no telling when the ability will come in handy and it might save his - and other's - lives. The slavers wouldn't have been able to take him in the first place and he could have set the others free before Katara had stumbled upon them by chance.

"Most of the benders have already been taken over the past couple of years. There are a few but they all have families and they won't risk it. The benders are not the only ones who get punished."

Haru glances at Katara and slides a hand on her shoulder. "I know what you're thinking. Yeah, it'd be great to know how to control it and all but really, it's for the best. I don't want to risk my family's and my village's lives just so I can know how to throw a couple of rocks around."

"It's not just that though. It's… Bending is a part of who you are. You shouldn't have to hide that."

"Have to. Otherwise, I'd probably be dead and I _like_ living. Not all of us are lucky enough to be able to have the chance to defy our oppressors."

"It's still _wrong_."

Haru chuckles. "Isn't everything?"

Katara has to uncross her arms to lean against a tree trunk to get over a rather large log. The slippers don't grip the wood very well and she slips. Haru quickly reaches out to grab her arm so that she doesn't tumble back into Zuko. She thanks him with a smile and jumps down from the fallen tree.

Her legs are almost giving out underneath her. She either needs the moon or a pallet. Preferably both.

"You'll need to get some boots if you want to keep traveling through the Earth Kingdom." Haru points out.

"We'll journey by road." Zuko says stiffly behind them as he jumps down from the same trunk.

"Bad idea." The earthbender shakes his head. "The roads are pretty much covered with Fire Nation soldiers and guerrilla fighters like to stir up trouble. The woods are a lot safer in comparison."

Like that is going to make Zuko want to go through the forest instead. He'll probably try to force her to the roads now. Katara huffs - getting him to follow her isn't going to be easy now that he knows there are soldiers nearby.

Haru may have just been trying to help but he just made her job a whole lot more difficult. Can she make Zuko stay in the village until the full moon comes? Then she can bloodbend him to follow after her into the forest rather than the roads…

That may be her best option at this point. And if they stay in the village for the next two days, they can try to earn some coin by doing odd jobs. Well, _she_ can try to earn something. She highly doubts the Prince will want to do anything to help out any.

"The guerrilla fighters - are they benders or nonbenders?" Katara manages to get over the next fallen tree without any assistance.

"Nonbenders, I think. But they cause just as much trouble as a bender can. They're small, independent mostly. I considered joining one myself once when I was younger but… I have to help take care of my family."

Katara makes it a point to look straight at Zuko. "It's good that there's some that are willing to fight back for those that can't. Not everyone is cut out to be a soldier, you know?"

"I guess." Haru makes a face though and Katara hopes that she didn't offend him. "Maybe someday I'll be able to. My dad says that they're idiots for trying to fight back though. They're risking a lot of lives and not gaining anything except notoriety."

"Maybe they'll be able to make _some_ impact on the Fire Nation."

"The Fire Nation doesn't deal with terrorists like they're heroes." Zuko grumbles. The waterbender shoots him a glare and he returns it. "The guerrillas are just going to keep angering them until the Fire Nation gets tired of them and wipes them out like the annoyances they are."

"I think it's _good_ that they're fighting back against oppression. Someone should show the Fire Nation that they're not welcome in other's homelands and that they should go back to their little volcano islands." Katara replies vehemently.

"Right. Like farmers with wooden swords and spears are going to inflict any damage on the strongest army in the world."

"You don't know that!" Katara spits back. "Besides, it's not _just_ so the Fire Nation knows that not everyone is going to lie down and take it - it shows that they're going to fight back and inspire the people around them to do the same."

"Not if they all get burned. Or thrown into prisons. _That_ will certainly inspire others."

"You-_You don't know what you're talking about_!"

"Actually, I think I know what I'm talking about better than _you_."

"Oh really?"

"Really." He deadpans.

Haru stops and looks between the two strangers.

"You don't know what that feels like, do you? To know that somewhere, someone is fighting _for you_ - that they're risking their lives _for you_! Those guerrillas are giving people _hope_ and that's something that the Fire Nation can _never_ take away."

"You are a _child_ if you think that."

She has to fight the urge to slap him, drown him and kill him all at once. Settling for a glare that could cut ice, Katara stomps her foot into the dirt and spins, marching away with her nails digging into her skin.

"_Come on, Haru. _I don't want to be stuck in this damned forest with _him_ any longer than necessary."

Katara is so caught up in getting as much distance as possible between her and Zuko that she almost falls over a log. She doesn't miss Zuko's laugh and the scowl becomes permanent the rest of the trip.

They reach the village just as night falls.

It's small, but Haru leads them to his family's hut on the outer circle of homes and invites them in. His father has gone on a hunting trip for the next few days and he offers them a place to sleep for the night before they decide what they need to do.

Seeing as how it's dark and she doubts they'll get anywhere tonight, Katara agrees. Zuko sulks. She ignores him completely, barely even looking at him because she is worried that she'll try to take his head off of his neck and _that_ wouldn't be good.

"Thank you for the place to sleep." Katara says when Haru gives her a blanket and pillow.

"It's no problem. Besides, it's the least I can do after you rescued me - _us_ - from the slavers." He smiles at her and she can't help but to return it. "If you need anything, I'll be through that door."

When he leaves them, Katara collapses on the pallet in the corner of the room. Zuko is nearby on a threadbare couch. She can tell by his heartbeat that he isn't asleep.

The moon is shining through the window and Katara greedily angles herself so that she can absorb it. She would go outside to soak it in but she's so tired that she detests the idea of even moving.

Zuko falls asleep. _Hard_ from the way his heart slows down. Only then does Katara allow herself to turn over and close her eyes.

-/-

He wakes up first. Being a firebender, he rises with the sun just like she used to do with the moon. Reluctantly, she opens her own eyes and rolls over so that she can see him. His heart is beating so loudly now that it would be impossible to ignore and fall asleep again. Besides, she needs to make sure that he won't try to escape.

"It's dawn." Katara grumbles sleepily. Zuko sharply sits up, startled that she's awake and she resists the urge to laugh at the state of his hair. "_Why_ did you have to be a firebender?"

She finally manages to push herself up and rests her back against the wall, the covers still swamped around her to keep out the morning chill. Her hair is the first thing that she tries to work through. Eyes half-closed, she braids it back as best as she can.

Zuko runs his own fingers through his mess of hair a few times. "Why did you have to be a waterbender?"

"I'd rather be a waterbender than a firebender."

"I guess it's pointless for me to say I feel the opposite?"

She smiles despite the fact that she's still mad at him and quickly tries to cover it with a cough. A few moments of awkward silence later, she tosses the cover away and stands up from the pallet, sliding her feet into the slippers and straightening out the tunic and leggings.

"We should try to get some money and supplies before we head out." She says, folding the blanket up and setting it on top of the pillow.

"And where are we heading _to_? Maybe we should decide on that before we start wasting time and effort preparing for journey in which the destination is unknown."

Katara bites the inside of her cheek and looks at him. "Well? What do _you_ think we should do?"

"You're still a prisoner of the Fire Nation."

"So you obviously want to take me to the roads in hope that one of your little soldiers will be there."

"Clearly."

"And obviously, _I _don't consider myself a prisoner at all now that we're off the ship so I clearly want to go through the forest in order to avoid those soldiers."

"I can take you by force."

Oh, she'd like to see him try that. The corner of her lips lift in a smirk and she crosses her arms over her chest. "You think you can do that?"

He shrugs. "I'll damned sure try."

"I guess just going our separate ways is out of the question?" But she already knows _her_ answer to that.

"No."

"Guess we're both just going to have to see who wins then."

He narrows his eyes at her. "Guess so."

The two of them stare at each other for a few more minutes. "I guess you don't just want to go ahead and surrender now."

"And why would I do that?"

"Save yourself some embarrassment. I won't make fun of you _too_ much if you give up now so we can get started."

"I think I'll take my chances not surrendering."

"Fine."

"Fine." Zuko echoes.

"You know you're pretty difficult, right?"

"And you're not." It's a statement, not a question.

Katara smiles again. This time she doesn't even bother covering it up. "I don't suppose you sleep with gold in your pockets or something." She doesn't have anything on her that they can sell and it's a wild guess on her part but she figured that she might as well ask him before she starts looking around the village.

Zuko pulls the sheet off and stands. He stretches for a bit; Katara turns her head to avoid looking at that tiny sliver of skin that is exposed from where his tunic ripped. Zuko may be the enemy but he's still a _man_ and she's still a _woman_.

Last thing she needs is for that sort of stuff to start distracting her.

When he's done, he start patting through the waist of his tunic. A surprised expression crosses his face and he sticks his hand inside a pocket, withdrawing three gold coins.

"Must have been left over from a trip to town." He shrugs his shoulders and puts it back in his pocket.

Katara blinks. "You keep gold coins in your sleeping pants?"

He gives her a look.

"Oh that's just _gross_." She blushes despite herself and quickly starts heading towards the door. "Come on, let's go see what your dirty gold will get us as far as clothes. We can't exactly keep wearing _this_."

He follows without arguing for once and she sighs in relief. She figures that Haru will eventually find them in the village so she isn't concerned with leaving so abruptly. Asking him for help in finding a village shoppe crosses her mind but she'd rather not stride into a sleeping man's bedroom randomly.

She had done that with Sokka when they were on the ship and swore that she would _never_ do that again.

Shivering at the memory, she ignores Zuko's lifted eyebrow at her movement and speeds up. It's clear that people are starting to wake up now because they actually walking through the streets. The village is small but it's not terribly tiny. Nothing like her village in the Tribe and even they had a pelt dealer who could also make clothes.

If worse comes to worse, Katara can sew them some clothes if she gets her hands on some fabric. Mending the ones they have is something that she should do so they can have something else to wear - well, she could mend _hers_ at least since Zuko's fate is still up in the air - but she knows they need something else to wear in the village. All black in the daytime is too eye-catching and they need to go as unnoticed as possible.

There's a few stalls down one of the streets and Katara is more than thankful to see fabrics. They manage to exchange two gold coins for sewing needles, thread, two dark green tunics, a small knife, a backpack with two sleeping rolls and hiking boots for them both. Katara also bats her eyelashes and gets the man to throw in a few pairs of socks and a large threadbare blanket.

She isn't startled that they are able to get the gold to stretch so far. This part of the area is so poor that she could probably talk the man down a bit. But they don't have change and she feels a tad guilty at getting so much for so little.

The seller seems pleased enough though and he smiles at them when they leave. Katara shoves all of their new belongings into the backpack and Zuko mutters something about the quality of the goods that she decides to ignore because she isn't really in the mood for any more verbal sparring.

When they get back to Haru's home, he's awake and in the kitchen. He actually looks a bit astonished when the two of them walk through the door, the backpack slung over Katara's shoulder.

"I thought that you two had left!" He exclaims excitedly, a huge grin spreading across his face.

Katara looks at where Zuko's cover lays still bunched up on the couch. "And leave behind such a mess? Please, Haru, give us _some_ credit. We're not completely barbaric as to not clean up after ourselves when you've been such a nice host."

Switching her eyes over to Zuko's, she doesn't miss the slight narrowing of his amber ones before he turns and reluctantly starts shaking out his blanket.

A pleased smirk on her lips, she turns back to Haru and sets the backpack on the small kitchen table.

"I see you visited Lao in the market. Did you get everything you needed for your journey?" Haru asks brightly.

"We did." She nods and lowers into the seat across from him. "All that's left now is to figure out where we need to go."

"I thought you told… the woman that you had family in the village?"

"Oh. Yeah, that might have been a lie." She says sheepishly.

"That makes sense. Do you know what city or village you want to go to? I have a friend who keeps maps of the Earth Kingdom that might be of use if you're unsure of where you're going."

She glances back at Zuko who seems to be having a bit of trouble folding the blanket straightly enough. "Actually, we're a bit unsure of _where_ we want to go. We're having some...differing opinions as of late that we need to sort through."

Zuko must have given up on folding the blanket because he's plopping down in the chair at the head of the table. Haru can't help but look over at him. Katara does the same. When he notices the two benders staring at him, Zuko gets a little flushed. He tries to cover it up by running his hands through the hair that shags around his face.

It's the first time she's really seen it down. Normally it's styled up in the top-knot or held out of his face. But now it's just...there.

She likes it better this way.

Looking away, she tries to engage Haru in a conversation again. "But I'm sure looking at the map would help us a lot."

"It's rather odd. You two traveling together with no real destination in mind." Haru notes. "I don't mean to sound..._rude_ or anything but…"

"We ran into some difficulties that changed our course." Zuko's voice is flat. He's not _exactly _lying now. Just omitting the fact that she wasn't exactly volunteering to go on the course that he wanted to go on. "Now we're just trying to decide what way we want to go."

Haru sighs wistfully. "I've always wanted to sort of leave the village and go out. Even though your situation is somewhat _odd_ and a bit strange, it sounds more fun than actually setting a destination. All about the journey, you know?"

"No." Zuko says.

"Yes." Katara speaks at the same time.

The firebender and the waterbender exchange a glare that doesn't go unnoticed by the earthbender.

"Definitely strange." He whispers under his breath.

Katara leans back in the seat. She and Zuko are being too suspicious. If they _do_ continue to travel together - which they _will_ because she has every intention of bloodbending him once the full moon comes - no one is ever going to believe that they both are going along willingly.

At the same time though, she can't really bring it upon herself to be civil to the man. Teen. Boy. _Firebender_. And she's sure that he feels the same towards her. He did hold her captive for a few days. A rather pathetic number of days but _still_.

She can't exactly forget that. That, and the fact that he's the Fire Nation Prince - her enemy until she dies - is also not to be avoided. Haru is already doubting that they're really traveling together. Somehow, they need to be less conspicuous in their quarrels.

They can't attract attention. And they're bickering definitely will. She already feels her palms itching for a fight, and by the way his heart starts beating a bit faster when they talk to one another tells her that he's holding himself back too.

The two of them won't go unnoticed by people if they're constantly restraining the need to kill each other.

Katara pushes away from the table and starts digging through the bag. She pulls out the fresh tunic, socks and hiking boots. "Can I use your bedroom to change? I'd rather get out of these clothes."

"Sure." Haru nods. "Go right ahead."

"Thanks," she smiles as she quickly heads for the door and closes it. The tunic and leggings are off quickly. She has to re-tie the bindings around her chest so that they're holding her up again. Once she's dressed, she pulls on the boots and examines the old tunic.

It isn't completely beyond repair. Luckily, her minimal sewing skills should do the trick. Satisfied and feeling better with the clean clothes, she steps back out to see that the two young men are sitting awkwardly at the table still.

"You're more than welcome to change too, Zu-_Han_." She hopes that Haru didn't notice the slip. Blushing, she reaches into the bag and tosses his fresh tunic and leggings before grabbing the sewing supplies they had bought earlier.

Haru excuses himself to run a few errands and she promises not to burn down the house while he's gone.

Zuko makes no such promises because he's still in the bedroom.

The tunic is mended quickly. The work is a little sloppier than Gran-Gran would like but it looks fine enough for her. She tugs at it a few times to make sure that it will hold. Seeing that it hasn't come apart, she nods with satisfaction and moves to the other around the waist.

Finally, the firebender comes out of the room with his old shirt and pants in his hand. "You sew?" He asks incredulously.

"Clearly," she mumbles in return. Katara winces when she accidentally pricks her finger. "I can, uh, mend yours too if you want." There. That's kind of a peace-offering, right? It's okay enough for enemies.

When she glances up at him, he seems a bit bewildered that she even offered. "Uh, sure. Yeah. If you wouldn't mind…"

"If I minded I wouldn't have offered," she snaps before she can stop herself. Internally, she slaps herself. "Sorry. It's sort of an automatic response now."

He nods, not really offended now that she's apologized. Kind of. "Understood. Um..._thanks_."

It sounds like it actually pains him to say that.

Katara curtly nods in return and motions for him to set the shirt and pants on the table. "Haru went to get some water from the well. He should be back shortly and then I'll make lunch. Figured it's the least I could do since he's being so damned nice."

"I didn't know you could cook."

She lifts her head up to look at him. "Well, considering you only have ever asked me questions about the Avatar, that's understandable."

The firebender reddens a little. "Yeah I guess so."

Katara thinks that she might like it better when they fight. This is just plain awkward. Opting instead for silence, she closes her mouth and focuses on finishing up her tunic before she starts on Zuko's. His is a bit more beat-up than hers so it will probably take a bit longer.

Zuko watches her fingers as she sews and she tries not to show that it unnerves her. She's used to eyes but for some reason, his amber ones make her hands shake a little bit as she works the needle in and out of the fabric. When she finishes hers, she ties off the thread and then set the tunic aside.

"Where did you learn to sew?" Zuko asks. Her hand pauses as she reaches for his shirt, stunned at that he's trying to strike up an amicable conversation, but she recovers and grabs it, settling it in front of her.

"My grandmother. All of the women and most of the men learn how to sew in the Tribe. In the Southern Tribe, at least. I think just women are taught in the North but I'm not sure if that's a standard now with the war and everything."

"You just don't seem like the type that would know how to do...womanly things."

She lifts an eyebrow. "Is that an insult?"

"No. I'm just...surprised is all. Most of the bending women in the Fire Nation don't learn how to do traditional woman work."

"Sewing is not just for women." Katara says, somewhat stung. "It's a good skill to have. Great if you're a healer, especially. It's a pretty universal thing that's come in handy more times than I can count."

It's crazy to know that just yesterday they were bickering to the point of starting a battle right in the middle of the forest and now they're discussing _sewing_, of all things.

Zuko seems to decide that he's had enough of a conversation - or that he's run out of things to talk about - because he rises and sulks over to the couch where he collapses. Katara is more than a bit thankful. Not only does she have to try to be _kind_, but he's not watching her anymore.

Her hands are steadier as she moves on to the other hole.

-/-

**Notes:** Thank you guys for the continued support! School has started and even though it's the first week, I can tell this semester is going to be _rough_. So every bit of support helps me when I do get the chance to sit down and write. Keep it coming!


	10. Chapter 10

"I don't think that you're understanding where I'm coming from, Haru. Please just let me cook _something_ in an attempt to pay you back for -"

"No, Katara. Really, I don't want you to cook or anything. You don't exactly _owe_ me after what you've already done." Haru waves her away.

She frowns. Planting her hands on her hips, she leans in a bit closer to where he stands on the opposite side of the kitchen table. Behind her, Zuko is watching the scene with an amused smirk as the earthbender squirms uncomfortably.

"_No_. Now you listen to me: I'm going to cook lunch and you're going to let me because it's the right thing to do. Understood?"

Silence. The earthbender gulps. "O-Okay."

"Great." She smiles and stands upright again. "Now, what do you want to eat? I'm assuming that you don't have any sea slugs or seal meat."

Zuko gags and Katara throws him a glare over her shoulder. He just has _no_ idea what he's missing. Give her a good stip of seal meat any day and she'll be fine.

Then she remembers the fruit that was on his ship.

Give her seal meat _and _a pomegranate any day and she'll be fine, she amends. Better than fine.

"Um..._no_…" Haru gives her a strange look. He, too, looks slightly disgusted and she sighs. These men were hopeless. "But we do have some deerantler meat from a hunt a few days ago. It's pretty tender. Do you know how to cook that?"

Katara is the one who waves her hand this time. "Please. It's no big deal. Just go get that and I'll start up the fire."

Haru nods and disappears. On the couch, Zuko snorts. "Deerantler meat? Have you actually ever _had_ the stuff?"

"No," she replies primly. "Hey - come over here and light this fire for me. Make yourself useful for a change."

The fireball he sends grazes a little too closely by her face. Katara slowly turns and fixes the firebender with a scowl. He shrugs his shoulders but he's unable to hide the smirk that forms on his lips.

Resisting the urge to _drown_ him, Katara rolls her eyes and shifts the logs around in the fireplace. Haru is back with the meat and he gets the mesh stand that they cook on. After a while, they have a full meal of bread, deerantler and cabbage.

Katara takes a bite and decides she _hates_ cabbage.

It's filling enough though and they're satisfied when they're finished. Katara cleans the dishes as best she can before setting them to the side so that Haru can put them back where he wants them. She'd rather not mess up what little order there is in the kitchen.

"Did you two come to an agreement about where you're going?" Haru asks after Katara forced him to stop thanking her for cooking.

She glances at Zuko who is also glancing at her. Noncommittally, she shrugs her shoulders.

"Not really. Han here thinks that he can make me go one way even though we both know that's not possible."

"Katara here believes that we should go tromping through the forest with no sense of direction so that we can get lost and eventually die of either exposure or starvation." Zuko adds.

Haru blinks. "Well...would you like to take a look at the map? I already asked my friend about it and since he's going to be out for most of the day, I think it might be a good time for you two to get together and..._try_ to decide what the next step is."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Haru." Katara stands from the chair and is already halfway towards the door before she hears the two of them clambering behind her.

"Not that I'm ready for you two to leave but I'm just saying… I'm not sure how my dad will react to two strangers sleeping in his home first thing when he gets back."

"No offense taken." Zuko's voice is like stone. "We hope to be out of here by tomorrow morning at the very latest."

Katara eyes him bitterly. "Not that we're unappreciative. But yes, we don't want to put you in that position of having to explain to your father and everything about who we are and why we're here. Especially since we - and you - don't know those answers."

Zuko is behind her so she tries to covertly elbow him in the ribs. He grunts and Haru gives them a curious expression. She tries to cover it by smiling as sweetly as she can manage and goes to the door.

"Shall we go, then?" Katara asks as she opens the door.

"Sure…" Haru slowly follows her. He's confused, as always.

The earthbender takes them through the village. His friend's house isn't too far from his own so they make it there without too much trouble. Naturally, the strangers receive a couple of stares but it doesn't seem to mind Haru.

The part of the small village looks slightly less poor than the others. By her standards, it looks similar to her igloo back in the Tribe. Hakoda was the Chief, so their igloo was slightly larger than others in the village, but not by much.

By Zuko's standards, she assumes he thinks that they all look the same.

Ignoring the sharp stab of anger - and _envy_ but she's not going to dwell too much on that in particular - she follows Haru through the unlocked door of one of the nicer homes. She pauses at the entryway. Are they supposed to just _walk_ on in?

Zuko, clearly not paying attention, bumps into her from behind.

Haru notices that he's no longer being followed. "Oh, it's fine. We don't really lock doors around here." He goes through another entryway, disappearing.

"_We should leave. Now._" Zuko hisses into her ear.

Katara turns her head so that she can see him. "_Why? Haru hasn't given us reason to not trust him."_

"_I think he suspects something. We should just grab our things and hit the road before anything happens."_

"_Hit the road? I'm sure you understand why I'm not jumping at the chance to do _that_. We need to see the map so we can figure out where we are."_

"_There's no point in figuring that out if we get ambushed."_

"_And who is going to ambush is? There aren't any benders - _learned_ benders anyway."_

Zuko shakes his head. _"You should trust me on this. You didn't last time and look where that got us."_

"_Yes. In a village with food and supplies and a place to sleep. We've suffered _so much_ from that." _Katara rolls her eyes. _"Look, if you're so worried then go ahead and go back to the house. I'll look at the map and you'll just have to place all of your trust in _me_ to find out everything so we don't get lost."_

She knew he wouldn't go. It was the only reason why she even gave him the opportunity. A man with as much pride as the Prince wasn't going to back down from a potential ambush from novice benders and leave their survival up to someone like _her_.

So, she gives him a knowing smile. They both know she has won this round.

She's following after Haru again. The firebender behind her huffs a breath of smoke before he reluctantly moves his legs to follow after her.

She wonders if he tires of doing that. Not that she cares, of course. She just..._wonders_.

The map of the entire world is stretched out on the wall. With the exception of Haru, the room is empty of others. Katara tries not to let too much gloating show in her face when she looks back at Zuko. Tries, and fails. The firebender bristles but says nothing.

"We're..._here._" The earthbender points to a spot on the southwestern side of the huge Earth Kingdom continent. It's near the water and close to a tiny inlet. Thinking back, she tries to remember where the battle between her ship and Zhao's took place. That had been closer north - they've traveled a lot farther than she thought.

They were _far_ to close to the Fire Nation for her liking. Her original guesses were wrong - a week and a half more they would have been at the Fire Lord's door.

"The Fire Nation has known holds outside of Omashu and near most of the ports so you'll want to stay away from the beaches and the main roads. Most of the troops are scattered everywhere from what people say." He turns back to them and shrugs his shoulders. "That news is probably old, anyway."

Katara already has every intention of staying away from roads. _And_ ports. She has no doubt that Zhao will soon follow after them. He's so crazed about finding out about the Avatar and hates Zuko so much.

But instead of saying this out loud, she nods.

If she wants to get to the Northern Water Tribe - the strongholds of the resistance - she'll need to head north, naturally. She scowls. They'll have to find some way to get across the entire continent and then board a ship to get to the North.

Or… There's Kyoshi Island…

It's a lot closer. And Sokka will undoubtedly travel back to it at some point. The resistance is still trying to convince the warriors there to join them - Sokka being the main ambassador.

If she can get to Sokka, she can be reunited with her ship. A smile spreads across her face.

_But_. What if he had already traveled by there? Going to Kyoshi would be a chance that might not pay off well. Sokka doesn't keep a schedule of when he goes, he just _goes_. There is little use in trying to guess and risk the chance that he just _may_ be there.

Or they _could_ go to Ba Sing Se. It was the only strong Earth Kingdom cities that had not been touched by the Fire Nation. It's just as risky as Kyoshi, though. They flat-out refused any and all friendly gestures made by Hakoda.

They might not welcome her. They might recognize Zuko.

It's too much of a risk. Or _is_ it?

Showing them that she has the Fire Prince under control might convince them to finally enter this war. If they see that not only does the resistance have the Avatar, but also a strong bargaining trip, they just _might_ decide to give them the push they need.

Plus if she's heading to the North, Ba Sing Se is right there. And they have such _beautiful_ ships in their port outside the city.

They'll need to travel by river. She needs to find one that will lead them straight to Ba Sing Se…

_There_. Huang He River. It starts about a dozen or so miles from where Haru's hand is. It'll take them a few days to get to the river but when they do it'll lead them straight to where she wants to go.

Now that she knows where she wants to go, Katara takes a few moments to memorize the layout of the Earth Kingdom.

She doesn't say anything to Zuko. But when she glances back at him, he's studying the map too. It looks like they both are planning routes - _very_ different routes.

He will want to go west, she guesses. The closer they can get to Fire Nation soil the better. Huang He River does veer to the west, especially when it goes further north before it curves sharply to the east towards Ba Sing Se.

It's a little out of the way, she admits. But it's the way they should go. If she starts walking North, there is no telling where she will end up.

The journey might take them a month. A little more if they move slowly.

She is _not_ excited about that.

With a nod of her head, she steps back from the map. "I think we've figured out where we want to go."

Haru's eyebrows raise. "You...are not even going to discuss it?"

She looks back to Zuko. He's still looking at the map.

"Oh, I think we both just _know_." She says with a smile.

-/-

Katara is folding Zuko's now-hemmed shirt and putting it in the backpack when it happens.

"I'm sorry." Haru whispers staring down at the floor. "I really am…"

She stares at him, confused. Tears are forming in his and he jerks his head away. Behind her, Zuko's heart starts racing and he's running to one of the windows.

"_Waterbender_!" He half-hisses, half-shouts. But Katara is still looking at Haru, the earthbender boy whose heart is beating with a dull rhythm and with wetness on his cheeks.

"Haru -" She whispers gingerly, taking a step towards him. Confusion clouds her mind and all she can think about is this young man_ crying_.

"They made me -" Haru tries to explain but he's cut off by a fire arc. Katara cries out, extending a hand forward to stop the fire from hurting him but Haru has already jumped backwards.

She turns to glare at Zuko. "_What _do you think you're doing? He's our _friend_!"

"No he's not." The firebender glowers, his hands flaming at his sides. "We have _company_."

Wide-eyed, she blinks and focuses her attentions outside of the hut. Zuko isn't lying, she senses the beating of a dozen strong hearts outside. _Benders_. She gasps and looks to Haru. He's lying on the floor and he looks so torn that it nearly breaks her heart but there's madness in her now that replaces the pity.

"Haru - What did you do?" She gasps. Her feet move forward. The earthbender winces. "_What did you do?_" Her voice is rising - rising like the hurt in her chest as she realizes that the man who she thought was their friend has done the worst thing imaginable.

He has betrayed them.

"I'm sorry Katara," he pleads, backing away from her as she takes unconcious steps forward. "I'm _sorry_. They - They _saw_ that he was from the Fire Nation - my _father _saw you! It's better this way - honestly, just _please_ don't hurt them! The fire soldiers would have caught you and burned our village!"

Katara bends water from the pail in the corner of the kitchen and it swirls around her waist. She's seeing _red_ and she wants to -

"Waterbender, we need to go. _Now_." Zuko is saying. Katara steps closer to Haru but she stops. He's scared. Wide-eyed and shaking, she has made this _young man_ quake with fear.

Then she realizes he's not scared of her. No, that can't be it. He's scared of _them_. Of the earthbenders outside of the home.

He hadn't meant to warn them before, but he did in a way. His apology - it was not just for the betrayal, but it was for _everything_. He didn't have to show them the map, but he did. The entire time, Katara never sensed any sort of falseness in him. Not even now, with him lying on the floor in front of her shaking.

Haru really is sorry. He's sorry for all of this. And Katara can't bring it upon herself to kill him even though she should.

"Kyoshi Island. When this day is over - if you want to make all of this right - go there. I cannot ask you to come with us but I can tell you to go there." Katara bends low, kneeling on the ground beside the earthbender who shies away from her. She places a gentle, soothing hand on his forehead. "I forgive you."

The water quickens around her waist and she stands. Haru's eyes are wide.

"Do they want a fight?" The firebender asks when she moves to stand by his side.

Katara sharpens her focus. The men's hearts are racing with excitement. Her palms start to itch, her blood speeds. Looking to Zuko, she nods.

"They do." _But does she?_

Zuko mutters something under his breath. Then, he turns to face her. "If they have any idea of earthbending we can still beat them even if we don't work together. But we will be tired and injured when it's over. If it comes down to a fight, will you be fighting with me or against me?"

His eyes flicker to the earthbender still on the floor behind her but he says nothing. Katara sees that his shoulders stiffen with the anger at the betrayal and she wonders if he would kill Haru if she let him.

"I'm not going to be taken prisoner so easily again," is all she says. It's neither a _yes_ or a _no_ to his question, but it seems enough for him. He pauses, tenses and his lips go thin. Still, he nods and his hands glow with fire.

His fire is red and orange. So unlike Ji's yellow.

It seems that now one of her strongest enemies is once again her ally.

She grabs her still-full waterskin and ties it around her waist underneath the water that still circles her. Zuko makes a move to get the backpack but she latches onto his wrist. "I'll take that." She states.

He frowns. Katara lets go and slings the pack over her shoulders, making sure that it is secure before she takes in a breath and stretches out her fingers. Her palms still itch.

Zuko opens the door and the waterbender is the first to go out.

Before she can blink into the sun, a rock is hurled towards her and she quickly spears it in half with a water dart. Fire whirls over her head and she ducks, aiming for the benders' feet while Zuko aims for their heads.

The ground beneath her quivers and soon, she's rising. She stumbles, legs shaking on the earth pillar that she's on and her eyes go wide. She's so _high_.

Over the edge, she catches the reds and oranges of Zuko's fire.

The benders who are holding her pillar up start to move. She senses the quickening of their hearts and catches a scant glimpse of their arms over the edge of the rock. They're about to drop her - they're too weak to hold the pillar much longer.

Katara takes the water around her waist and jumps, propelling the water with her hands to catch her feet just as the pillar shoots back down to earth. Below where she is, Zuko is fending off multiple attacks, jumping off each pillar that is thrown up underneath him before he can get to her height.

She shifts her hands and the water that is holding her up crashes into a wave. She's falling steadily - but quickly - back to the ground. Rocks - tiny, jagged, unformed things - keep deflecting off of her platform and she shields her face with her hands until she touches ground.

Her sleeve is ripped and she feels blood running down her arm. A minor injury but the healing in her blood surges as the tiny wound. She grits her teeth, wishing now more than ever that she could learn to control _that._

The water underneath her is sucked back up and she freezes it. Twisting, turning and flipping her torso, she careens it all with a swipe of her arm to the benders that surround her. She ducks, curving to the left to avoid another rock.

These benders are no masters but it's clear they've been practicing.

They move in groups - six on her and six on Zuko. It's taking all of each group working together to launch a rock fast enough to cause any damage. While they're weak, it is rather surprising that they taught this to themselves.

Katara turns on her heel and then plants herself firmly on the ground with a jump. Her fist punches through a stream of water and it freezes up. She bats away several rocks while her other arm pulls moisture from a nearby well.

She drops the ice on her arm and smashes it towards the earthbender closest to her. He's thrown backwards, ice in his stomach, into an earthbender who is fighting Zuko. Both of the men are knocked down.

Zuko's fire darts spread to her attackers through his. But when clothes catch fire, she immediately washes the flames away while simultaneously knocking down her opponents.

The water around her waist isn't proving to be enough and she doesn't want to use the remains in her waterskin. She glances around while deflecting a heavier boulder and sees a communal well.

A smile on her lips, her ice darts are thrown with much more abandon.

Her hands make quick work and she pulls on the water in the well. Biting her cheek, she feels the sweat on her forehead and her arms start to shake form exertion as she finally gets control and _yanks_ the water out.

The wave crashes in between her and the firebender, wiping the earthbenders off the ground. She quickly freezes it, gathers more water, and then propels herself across the ice to where Zuko stands.

He's not even panting. She _hates_ him and his sun.

"Go - before it melts!" She gasps out, already running from Haru's hut and into the forest. Katara thinks that she's going west - just the way she wants to go - and Zuko is following her. Soon, her weariness forces her behind him but she pushes herself to leap over all of the logs that he manages to avoid to keep pace.

When they've run for about a mile away from the village, Katara's legs give. Her boot lodges underneath a log and she trips, her entire body slipping out from underneath her. She barely manages to throw her hands up in time to catch herself. Everything is rising up to meet her and -

Her palms hit solid earth. Her body stops. The ground is inches from her nose and she breathes out in relief; grass sways.

Katara gets a knee on the ground and slips her foot from underneath the log. It hurts, but a quick check shows that she didn't break it or sprain anything. It throbs though - she probably just bruised it.

Heart racing and lungs burning, Katara rolls over into a sitting position with her legs propped up on the log. She leans back on her palms and tries to catch her breath while her ankle starts to heal. The familiar twinge of pain takes over the throbbing, and she grits her teeth for a moment to wait as it passes.

Zuko has stopped and she hears him crush leaves as he steps towards her. His heart is erratic. _Finally_ he's tired.

"They will catch up to us," he manages to get out in between gasps. "We should keep moving."

Katara shakes her head. Her whole body groans at the idea of running again.

"No they won't. They don't know where we went and they're fishers and farmers, not trackers. Following us would mean they would have to split up." She reaches up to wipe the sweat off of her brow, too tired to try bending it off. "They're not going to take on two masters alone."

Zuko plants himself down on a log somewhere out of her eyesight. She tenses. Katara would rather _see_ him when they're sitting down. So, she bites back a moan of protest as she turns around to face him, leaning her back against the log.

She's actually more comfortable this way even though the backpack is digging into her back uncomfortably.

Time passes as the two catch their breath in silence. Her legs are jelly; his heart hasn't calmed by much. The firebender's body is still tense. Taunt, as if he's waiting for an earthbender to crash through the trees at any moment.

Katara didn't realize that she was studying his face when she suddenly asks, "your scar. How did you get it?"

His head snaps towards hers, his good eye narrowing and the good cheek getting a little red. It doesn't scare her - it _interests _her. She's leaning forward, waiting for him to speak.

"I told you about my etching. Story for story, eh?" She shrugs her shoulders, trying to look like she doesn't care. In reality, she's shifting over the forest floor minutely to get closer so that she can hear his rasping, low voice if he starts to speak.

The firebender stares at her. She stares right back.

The waterbender jumps when he stands.

"We shouldn't stay here for too much longer." His back is now turned towards her and he's walking through the forest.

Katara can feel her face and shoulders drop. Then, she sighs, holding on to the log behind her so that she can steadily rise up on her shaking legs. The first step is hard, the next is hardest, but then she gets into a rhythm and she ignores the shudders.

He's not walking near as fast as he could be. _And_ he's silent.

She glares icy daggers into his back as she stumbles and trips through the forest. He does the same, though far less often than her because his legs are not trembling with each step.

Katara hates him. And tomorrow is a full moon.

-/-

"What do you mean you don't know how to hunt? I thought that was like a _game_ for royals!" Katara is screaming. Birds, what could be their supper, flutter away in groups. If she wasn't so angry, she might be a bit concerned that _she's_ scaring off their meals.

But she's not. Because all of her fury is directed at the firebender who is glaring at her with the same amount of anger.

"I meant what I said. I _don't_ know how to hunt." His voice is much more controlled than hers but just because he isn't screaming doesn't mean that his tone possesses less venom. "Only minor Royals who live in the Earth Kingdom go hunting for _fun_."

He sounds a bit insulted. Her anger peaks like a rushing waterfall and soon she's marching across the small clearing to poke a thin finger into his chest.

"_You_ are - _You're_ - You're..._ugh!_ I can't even _speak_ to you right now." She spins on her heel and marches away.

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"

Katara halts.

The firebender barely has time to twist out of the way when she hurls an ice dagger at his head.

She bends the dagger towards her and melts it back into the waterskin at her side, twisting the cap on with a haughty glare.

"Are you _crazy_? What are you trying to do? _Kill me?_" Zuko is the one shouting now.

"The thought crossed my mind."

"You're insane."

"And _you're_ useless! What can you do? _Nothing_!" She throws her hands into the air, whirling around to fix him with another one of her glares. "You know, in my culture it's considered a weakness if men don't know how to hunt. It shows that they cannot provide for their family or community."

Zuko sneers at this. "Oh, I'm sorry. The Fire Nation happens to have more enlightened views than you _peasant barbarians._ If we're abiding by your gender traditions, perhaps _you_ should _stop_ bending and _start_ cooking dinner!"

"I'd cook dinner if you'd actually went out and killed something! And what do you mean by _enlightened views_? I'm from the Southern Tribes, you idiot! I'm certainly not a peasant either!"

"As if that somehow _matters_? I thought all of your kind hunted anyways?"

"Of course! Because _we're_ taught how to provide for ourselves and our family. Unlike you _Fire Nationers_."

"Then _why_ are you yelling at me if you know how to hunt already? Just go _catch something_ so we can eat!"

"Because you shouldn't _expect_ me to do it! I'm _not_ going to do all the work around here so that we can survive!"

"_Agni!_" Zuko swears. The palms at his sides start to flare up but the fire dies down instantly. His jaw tightens and he glares at her. "I'll light the fire and set up camp if _you_ go catch something." He's so calm now that it sort of scares her.

His eyes are no less fierce.

Katara narrows hers and crosses her arms over her chest. "_Fine_. But I'm taking the backpack with me."

He sighs. "Be my guest." The heavy sarcasm makes her purse her lips but she holds her tongue because she can be nice. Sometimes.

Katara spins around and marches away from the clearing. It's getting darker in the forest, and she purposefully bends and snaps twigs to mark her way as she goes.

In the Tribes, they always hunted in groups. Now she's alone with no weapon except her bending. Bending that is weakened because the Full Moon is tomorrow.

She manages to not trip too many times.

When she returns to the campsite, her arms and the backpack are weighed down with enough fruit to make several meals. Zuko's face tightens when he sees that it's not meat but he doesn't say anything as she lays it all out on a blanket from the backpack.

Katara thinks that they scared off any and all wildlife within the immediate area with all of their yelling but she's certainly not going to tell _him_ that. After all, she was the one who sort of..._instigated_ it.

She unscrews the waterskin cap and cleans the fruit off. Katara bends the water so that it separates from the dirt and re-fills the waterskin back. Lifting it to her lips, she takes a gulp, wipes her mouth, and then hands it to Zuko.

"Go ahead. Take some. We're both no good if we get dehydrated and I know you're thirsty." Katara says sullenly. She _hates_ being nice to him.

From Zuko's expression and the way his eyes won't meet hers, he seems to hate it too but he takes the waterskin and starts drinking.

When they're finished eating and drinking, she tosses the discarded cores far from the camp and puts the leftovers in the backpack for later. As for the water, she takes it from some weeds, leaving a patch of brown behind that makes her bit her lip and look away.

The sun has long gone down and it's dark. The fire that Zuko made lights a close circle but beyond that is pure blackness.

Katara takes out her bedroll and then tosses Zuko the pack so he can get his own. It's been quiet - awkward between the two. But when she goes over to a strong tree, she can feel his curiosity staring into her back.

"What are you doing?" He asks when she starts to climb.

Katara has the bedroll and a piece of rope down her shirt and her hands on the trunk. It's too big for her to wrap her arms around it but there are plenty of little nooks going up the side. _Perfect_. She climbs up to the nearest, biggest limb and settles down with a sigh.

"Going to sleep." She replies simply. Trees in the Earth Kingdom are stouter than they are in the Fire Nation or on the islands around the Poles that can support wildlife. She's learned from spending time on Kyoshi Island how to properly climb them and is finally glad that the skill has been put to use.

Tugging the roll out of her top, she carefully spreads it out on the wide trunk. She climbs inside, securing herself by tying the rope around her waist. Rolling off in the middle of the night does _not _sound appealing.

Katara turns her head away from the light. Below, she hears Zuko set up his own roll beside the fire.

Faintly, she ponders how long he will last down there.

Not that she cares. She hates him.

-/-

**Notes:** Thank you guys for the support! Reviews, favorites and follows really help drive forward the story. Every bit helps tremendously :D

I MAY have to switch updates from 2xs/week to 1ce/week. At this moment, I've gotten up to Chapter 14 written because of school commitments and I don't see a near break where I'll be able to crash them out like I did at first. Just a warning.

(pssst... reviews are fantastic inspiration because it lets me know that I'm not writing to blank walls. juss sayin...)

Review Question: Why do YOU ship Zutara? (or, if you don't then let me say I love you for reading this regardless, _who _do you ship, if anyone?)


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: See bottom for important notes about the chapter. Trigger warning if you're a big animal lover or vegetarian (I think?... Not too bad but this is here just in case)**

Recap_: Katara and Zuko's visit with Haru is cut short when the earthbender is forced to betray them to village elders. The two benders are forced to fight their way out but make it into the forest easily, heading to Huang He River just as she has planned. Now that she knows to head to Ba Sing Se so they can get to the Northern Water Tribe, Katara's new goal is to _not_ kill the firebender before they make it there. However, that's continuing to prove rather difficult..._

-/-

A loud, pounding and fast heartbeat wakes her from unpleasant dreams of red and blood and yellow fire but it's a startled cry that makes her eyes fly open.

She fumbles for her waterskin and she bolts upright. The rope that is around her waist digs into her stomach uncomfortably. It's stopping her from wriggling out of the bedroll so the only thing that she can do is lean over the edge of the tree trunk that is her bed to see Zuko standing face-to-face with an armadillo lion.

It's big. It's bigger than she expected.

Zuko's hands light with fire and he starts trying to scare the animal away with fire darts. Katara watches, palms itching and water close by just incase something happens.

The armadillo lion makes a noise that's somewhere between hiss and a roar. Zuko's flames seem to scare it though, and it lunges backwards before circling around. The firebender meets it step for step, driving it back with more and more fireballs.

Her shoulders tense. But she doesn't move just yet. Armadillo lions travel alone from what she remembers so if Zuko can scare this one off they should be fine.

Water trickles out of the waterskin and into her palm.

Zuko's heart is racing but his expression is controlled. The Armadillo lion stops, it's tail twitching as it watches the firebender.

The beast lunges towards him and Katara sends a speeding arrow of ice at the animal's throat but Zuko is quicker and nearer - his flaming kick swipes against the fur on the chest near the heart.

The animal squeals, the heartbeat flashes for an instant like lightning, and then it stops. She sighs in relief.

The icy arrow strikes the ground and Zuko jumps. She smirks - out of all the things that could have startled him it was _her_ arrow that did it.

He looks up at her and she can't read his eyes from this distance. "Thanks for the help," he utters.

"You looked like you had it under control." She smiles back at him. "Looks like you managed to kill something."

She reaches around to untie the rope around her waist. The cap of the waterskin is screwed back on before she climbs back down the tree trunk.

Zuko melts her ice dart with fire.

"Was that necessary?" She sighs. Quickly checking the animal's heartbeat, she is relieved to see that it is, in fact, dead. Good. They'll be able to have meat. Plus it's a big animal - they'll have meat for _days_.

Her stomach rumbles.

She grabs the backpack that's lying on the ground near Zuko's bedroll. She digs around through the fruit until she finds the small knife they bought at the market in Haru's village. It's not exactly a skinning knife and it's so small that it's going to take them a while, but it's all they have.

Katara sits by the animal. "Help me get it on it's back."

With the Prince's help, she manages to roll it over so that the soft belly is pointing towards the sky. It's a male - she quickly cuts off the pieces and throws them over her shoulder.

Zuko winces.

"Ever skinned an animal before, _Prince_?" She asks with a snicker playing at her lips - would it be too much to call him _Princess_instead? She cuts one line from the animal's throat to just above it's tail.

When she pushes the knife underneath the slit to peel back the skin, the firebender gulps. But he's watching her carefully. _Very_ carefully. Actually he's watching her hands but that's still _her_.

"No." He manages to force out. When she opens up the chest cavity by cutting up the sternum, she swears he turns green.

Now it's not as funny. _Maybe_. It is a _little_ funny.

She lifts the hand with the knife and points it at him. His eyes widen at the blood and pieces of meat and who-knows-what-else on the blade. "Watch for animals. There's no telling what kind of scavengers are going to come around if this takes too long."

Zuko actually seems relieved and he steps away. She isn't sure where he's going until he goes by the tree where she slept. Curious, she watches him while she cuts through the windpipe. The firebender climbs up - not as gracefully as she had but well enough.

He swings his legs over to her trunk and sits, perched up to see the surrounding area. She quickly looks back down and sets the knife aside to remove the internal organs.

_This_ was the part she always hated. Luckily, she was used to it. Sokka happened to hate skinning animals more than she did. Somehow she was the one who was always stuck with the job after a hunting trip.

Katara makes quick work of the rest of the steps. It's so natural for her that it doesn't take much longer cut everything they can't use free. She has to rock a little, and she grunts when she has to move the animal onto it's side to drain the blood out but she gets it done without the Prince having to come back down.

She pulls with all of her might to get the animal back onto it's stomach so that the untouched back is underneath her when she sits on top, straddling it. Her forearms and hands are all bloody and messy but there's no use cleaning it now.

The cuts are similar to before. She quickly slides the knife through the cuts and gently saws the skin off of the meat. Skinning takes longer than gutting it. Actually getting the meat from the body takes even longer.

By the time she is completely finished, the sun is up and her arms are _covered_ in red. Gulping and pushing unwelcome memories away, she quickly straightens up and goes over to the side. She bends water from some other weeds and washes herself off.

She has to take a few moments to breathe before she's willing to turn around.

"Finished?" Zuko asks, his voice a little strained.

Katara takes another breath. She wipes her wet hands on her tunic. "Yeah. Come down here and cook it all. Make yourself useful again."

She turns just in time to see the firebender fall to the ground when he misses a notch. He grunts but _she_ laughs. A sound that clearly irritates him because he glares at her as he quickly stands and goes to where she's laid the meat out on some rocks.

Just like she instructs, his fires make most of the strips into dried-out jerky for them to eat later - she uses her water to help that along as well - and he slowly, lightly burns other pieces for them to eat now.

The meat has a charcoal taste to it and it's slightly burnt, but it'll do. She swallows it down with some water.

Katara bends some water out of the ground that she used earlier to wash her hands. With it, she washes the fur out and then lays it out so she can bend the water out of it.

Their stomachs are full, they have meat to last a few days, and now they have raw fur and hide. They're certainly better off than she could have hoped.

She stuffs the fur and the bedrolls into the pack - barely - and it's bulging when she slings it across her back.

When she looks up, she sees that sure enough, they're heading west. She tries to hide her grin as she starts walking. Zuko scrambles up from the boulder he was sitting on to follow after her.

"Where are you going?" He asks after they make it several yards from their camp.

She shrugs her shoulders. Best to act like she doesn't know. "Somewhere. Better to keep moving than to stay in one spot."

He quirks an eyebrow. The good one. "Even if that somewhere is a place you don't know?"

She hums instead of replying.

After a mile of silent walking, Zuko is the first to break.

"Where did you learn to skin animals?"

She gives him a humored look. "The same place I learned to hunt: _home_. There are some things you can't learn in a palace, _Prince_."

He frowns. "I'm sure I could have managed to get the meat without… all of that."

"Sure." Katara laughs. "And I'm sure you would get the bad meat. You'd probably also try to eat the organs, too."

"I thought the organs were okay to eat?"

"Some of them are. But others - like the stomach, intestines, and some livers can kill you. You have to know the animal before you start eating _that_. It's why I threw those out instead of having you cook them.

"You also could have cut the wrong thing and made the animal start hemorrhaging. Or you would have wasted a lot of the good, protein-rich meat in favor of the lesser." She looks at him. "It's a lot more complicated than you think."

The Prince seems to think about this for a moment because it's quiet again.

"Plus," she decides to add, "it's rather disgusting. I hope we get to a river soon because I _really_ need a bath."

"You certainly smell… _different_." She looks at him sharply but he's _smiling_ and his eyes are light.

The insulted frown on her face changes into a small smile. She steps over a log - grateful that her slippers have been replaced by boots - and chuckles. "I guess I do."

When she realizes that her shoulders are relaxing and the smile is still on her lips, she clears her throat. Wriggling, she grips the backpack a little tighter and starts to speed the pace.

She _can't_ be playing too nice to Zuko. She just needs to lead the Prince to Ba Sing Se so that they can take him prisoner and win the war. _That_ is her goal. Niceness and friendships will just..._complicate_ things.

Just like it had with Lee. She had spared the whole ship of firebenders - and Zhao because she knows that he survived her ice darts - just because he asked her. Well, _pleaded_ her to but that's the same.

Friendship with firebenders will get her nowhere. It will gain her nothing but more complications and she doesn't need those. They're the last thing she wants so she just needs to stay as cold as the southern waters and harden her heart like ice.

She needs to do it for the Avatar - she needs to do it for Aang. Sokka, her father, her soldiers, her tribe and the world is balanced on her shoulders now.

Smiles will not make that burden any lighter. Only heavier.

-/-

"This is maddening."

Katara lifts an eyebrow and looks at the Prince. They've been walking the past few miles with as little speaking as possible. She's been fine with the quiet - her newfound resolve making it difficult to start chattering away - but it seems the firebender is _not_.

"We can at least..._talk_ about..._something_. This - This _silence_ isn't doing anyone any good."

She snorts. "What did you expect, firebender? We're just trying to make it...somewhere. We're not even friends - we're _enemies_ and I was your prisoner, need I remind you?"

Zuko's permanent frown grows deeper. "I-I know that. I haven't forgotten. But I can't stand this quiet. I'm going to go mad."

"Who says you haven't already?" That earns her a glare. "Relax, firebender."

She hates him. _She hates him_.

He sighs. Lifting a hand to run it through his hair, Katara quickly averts her gaze. _She hates him._

"Your uncle… He came to visit me after _that night_," she pauses but Zuko already knows what she's referring to. His back straightens and his eyes jerk to hers. She clears her throat, continues. "He said you had - have? - a cousin. Lu Ten, I think?"

Something quirks at the corners of his lips. "Yes. He's a few years older than me. I think he'll be… twenty-six this year?" He shrugs his shoulders. They seem heavier than before. "Why? What did he say?"

It's Katara's turn to shrug her shoulders. "Just that you and he were close before he went away -"

" - he didn't _go away_. He was banished."

"Oh?" She feigns ignorance, not for the first time.

"He was a part of my uncle's plan for Ba Sing Se. After he captured the city, he placed Lu Ten in charge. My grandfather wanted to see how well the heir to the throne could rule a city, I suppose." Zuko's face twists. "But rebel forces drove out the troops. We've never been able to re-capture the city since."

"And that warrants banishment?"

Zuko's lips pinch. "It wasn't just that. Lu Ten - he was very popular with the soldiers even if the superiors didn't like him much. When my father became Fire Lord, he discovered rumors of Lu Ten inciting a rebellion because he felt _he _should be on the throne. Father had the rumors investigated, found them to be true and banished Lu Ten from the Fire Nation."

"Why did your father have a claim to the throne over your uncle and cousin? Shouldn't they have been the natural heirs?" Katara steps up onto a fallen log before she steps down; Zuko steps over it.

"Yes… But Lu Ten's loss of Ba Sing Se changed that. When my grandfather expelled him from the army, Lu Ten's honor was lost...and so was his birthright. Iroh was too old and had no other children. So, the claim fell to my father."

"And you believe all of that? The rumors of rebellion? Lu Ten's apparent ambition?" Katara presses.

Zuko tenses immediately. "Of course. He was found guilty. My father _should_ have executed him but he didn't for the sake of his brother. He was merciful."

"Are you sure your father wasn't trying to get rid of him for...political means? You already said Lu Ten had the support of the soldiers, and if -"

Zuko's hand grabs at her arm and he glares down at her. "My father would not make up such slanderous lies about someone. _Especially_ about his nephew."

His hand is warm - too warm and it's getting even warmer to the point that it's starting to burn - and she starts to pull away. "Let go. You're burning - " The heat is gone in an instant. She blinks, startled as he quickly steps away. Looking back down at her hand, she sees a few small heat blisters and the red imprint of his hand.

Her healing blood surges to it. The familiar tingle and pain make her drop her arm back down to her side.

Zuko though...he's watching. He steps forward, slowly reaching out to grab her hand - _gently_ - and he pulls it back up. His eyes don't leave her skin as the burn starts to heal before his eyes.

Katara watches him watch her healing.

They stand there for a few minutes, her hand in his. His fingers are warm but it's not uncomfortable even though it should be. Katara's breathing starts to slow and so does his - it's strange but… she can't bring herself to tear her arm away from him.

When her burns are basically invisible, Zuko finally looks up at her. "Can all waterbenders do that?"

He should know the answer to that and she almost doesn't bother replying.

But, she sees the curiosity and awe on his face and she sighs. "No. I-I think I'm the only one…"

Hama and Pakku thinks it has to do with the bloodbending and the healing. Before she was a warrior or a bloodbender, the few waterbending training she was able to receive was focused on healing.

Now, she was a master waterbender and one of the two known bloodbenders. Hama could do something similar, but she did not have as much healing training as even Katara had. Plus, she wasn't nearly as young.

Katara doesn't know why or how she can heal herself. She just knows that she _can_. She also knows that it's tiring and takes up a lot of energy and she can't really control it. It's become more of a hinderance more than anything in battle.

The waterbender realizes that Zuko has held her hand for far too long and she slowly pulls it away, letting it fall back limply by her sides. They're still close though, standing beside each other - facing each other - in this forest.

_She hates him_.

"Why do you do that? Every time you burn me you pull away." It's her turn to ask the questions.

Zuko's eyes flicker and for a moment, she wonders if he's going to tell her a lie or the truth. He looks torn, like whatever he might admit is something _big_ and important.

So she waits.

"I don't like to burn people." His voice is a rasping whisper. "I don't...I don't want to cause scars on the ones that don't deserve them."

The way his heart beats steadily and the truthfulness that fills his eyes assures her that he's not lying.

Her eyes naturally flicker to his scar. It's almost indiscernible underneath his black hair but she sees it. Red and angry against his pale skin and amber-colored eyes.

She remembers the first time she saw him; how he thought he would be handsome if not for that scar. Now...she doesn't even see it unless she tries.

Her fingers want to touch it. She wants to see if it feels like the scar that covers her back. _Dangerous thoughts._

Katara turns away and starts walking again. After a while, the firebender follows.

Two and a half miles of silence later, Katara feels the pull of the water before she sees it. It's huge - _Huang He_ - and she practically starts running.

When she sees it, she smiles so big that it feels like her face is going to split in half. _Finally_, a bath.

The backpack drops on the ground beside her. When Zuko finally catches up to her, she is already tearing the tunic over her head and shoving the pants down her hips. Her boots are long forgotten somewhere and her hair is out of the messy braid.

She's in the water before he can even ask her what's going on.

In the safety of the stream, she unwraps her bindings and stays low in the water with her back to him. Not only does she need to re-wind them after the day, but they also need a good washing out.

When she lays them out on the grass - making sure that her other arm is keeping her covered - she notices that Zuko isn't in the clearing. For a few moments, she starts to panic and she starts looking around wide-eyed and -

- a splash sounds behind her and she jumps, whirling around to see the Prince brushing his now-wet hair out of his face.

Relief floods through her.

She settles down deeper into the water and lets it wash over her. Katara would kill for soap and a washcloth so that the grimy feeling would go completely away. She reminds herself to get some when they stop in the nearest village.

The two benders stay away from each other. She spots his breeches and tunic down the way and she can't help but blush a little as she looks away.

Turning her back to him, she rinses her hair out several times. She winces when her fingers work through the snags.

When she starts to turn pruny, she grabs her bindings from the grass and starts wrapping them around her chest and bottom. Finished, she stands and bends the water out of them before climbing out to grab her clothes.

She washes them out several times to try to get the animal smell out before she pulls them on. They're dry with a flick of her wrist.

Zuko climbs out a little after she does - she keeps her head turned to the side - and she bends the water out of his as well without him asking. He's as surprised as she is at the gesture. Luckily, no one says anything and she simply grabs the bag.

"We should probably take turns carrying it." He comments, noticing how the bag sags a bit down her back with the weight of all of their things.

"It's fine. I got it." She doesn't say that she doesn't really trust him enough to not take off with it. Besides, holding it makes her feel...better. Like she's in charge.

"I'm clearly the stronger one here. You complained about me being useless so _let_ me be useful now." He holds his hands out expectantly. Katara glares at him. "I'm not moving until you give me the backpack."

She scowls. "Fine." She rips if off her back and shoves it into his chest. He's steps back a bit. "You want the bag? _Take_ the damned bag."

Katara starts stalking away as he puts it on and then he's following her. She feels lighter and more exposed without the weight that she was just getting used to.

Her shoulders don't ache anymore though.

Silence is their company once again as they make their way down the river. Katara keeps an eye on the sky to make sure they're going the way that the map said to go. She makes sure that she can see the water at all times. And when it falls out of sight between the trees, she makes sure she can _feel _it.

"You say you want me to help - that you're not going to do everything by yourself - but when I ask to help, you become all..._tempered_." Zuko says at last, breaking their peaceful silence with something that makes her blood boil.

"I'm _not_ tempered." She hisses out, causing him to raise his good eyebrow. Seeing how that came out, she clears her throat. "I'm not tempered."

"Okay."

"_I'm_ _not_."

"I said okay."

"Yeah, but I know what 'okay' means. You don't believe me."

Zuko sighs. "All right, waterbender. You're not tempered. There? That better?"

"That was so sarcastic that I can't even…" She breaks off, shaking her head. "Everyone thinks that I'm _so_ temperamental but I'm _not_. You - _You're _the temperamental one. We can't have us _both_ be that way."

"I am not." He scoffs.

"Oh, yes you are. Do I need to even remind you of all the times you almost killed me on that ship?"

"I never almost killed you. I just...used a bit of force…"

"What about the time when you tried to pull a trick like your Uncle and offered me tea? You were getting angry until I told you that I still had my cuffs on!"

"Well…" He's clearly becoming uncomfortable.

Katara ignores this. "Or what about every conversation you've had with Zhao? The time when I figured out Lee was your spy? When you became angry and tense after that night with Ji? When -"

"Okay. Just..._stop_. I understand how that all may _seem_ but -"

"No buts." She interrupts him. "Face it: I may be a _little_ temperamental but you're way worse than I am."

"I'm not even going to get in this with you."

"See! Right there - _temperamental_."

Zuko rolls his eyes. Katara smiles victoriously.

"Please, ignore your own faults in favor of focusing on mine." Zuko huffs. The smile on Katara's face drops.

"Just what do you mean by that?"

He looks at her quickly. "Nothing."

"No. You said it so you might as well finish it." Katara says crossly.

A pause. "You're too trusting and you don't listen."

Katara blinks. And then she _laughs_. "Oh that's _rich_, Prince. Me - _I'm _too trusting. I would love to hear you back that up considering that over those _very_ few days that you held me as prisoner, I didn't trust any of you or your uncle's or Lee's attempts to woo me into talking about the Avatar."

Zuko sneers and shakes his head. "I was referring to the slavers - you just walked right up to them without even thinking! - and then of course that earthbending boy -"

"His name is Haru and he's hardly what I'd call a boy." It takes her a minute after she says that to realize how that sounds. Zuko's eyebrows lift and he looks at her with that knowing look even though he really knows_ nothing_. "I didn't - I'm not… Just forget it." She huffs.

"You decided to trust both of those people and look where that got us. You almost wound up in the slave trade _and_ your _friend_ turned us over to his bending friends."

"We were hardly ever in any danger." She rolls her eyes.

"It doesn't matter. If we weren't benders there's no telling what would have happened because not only are you too trusting but you also don't listen to those around you. Namely, _me_. Because I was right on both of those accounts and you blatantly ignored me."

"Well, the thing is, _Prince, _ that we do just happen to be benders - _master_ benders at that. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't nearly be so...opportunistic."

"That's not exactly the wisest way to think."

"What are you? A monk?" She just looks at him.

"No?" He answers, giving her a glare. "All I'm saying is - oh _nevermind_. You're just going to ignore it and _scream_ some more." He waves his hand and huffs, turning his head to stare straight ahead.

Katara swears she can feel her face turn purple as she putters. "_Scream some more?!_ Just who do _you_ think_ you are_, firebender? I saved your inconsiderate and ungrateful ass on that damned boat! I'll _scream_ if it so pleases me and you can't do a _damn_ thing about it!"

Zuko huffs some more. Katara has to use all of her inner strength to keep from freezing him in place.

She hates him. She _really_ hates him.

But this is good. Because this anger and this arguing is only making her hate him more. She likes the bickering, despite the annoyance and frustration. It's better than when they're _nice_.

Being nice to the firebender will get her nothing but trouble. Being like _this_ though, it will only help her in the end. She'll be able to switch their roles like this - this… irritation will only work to her advantage. She just...has to make sure that she doesn't wind up _killing _him. She's strong, but she's not strong enough to carry his corpse on her back all the way to the Northern Tribe.

Katara focuses her attention back on Zuko. He's moved ahead of her and she smirks when he trips over a log, barely catching himself.

It's about time he started tripping again.

They stumble their way through the forest a few more miles before they sit and rest again. Katara never thought she would wish for snow. Snow doesn't grab and latch onto your clothes and scratch your face and hands.

She grumbles when she plops down on a boulder, taking a few pieces of the jerky from the backpack before tossing it to the firebender. They eat in silence and use the water in the waterskin to cool down.

Finished, she makes her way to the river to re-fill the waterskin. She caps it off, ties it at her waist, and waits for the Prince to get finished...whatever he's doing.

"I think it's my turn to carry the backpack." Katara says when she hears him behind her. She turns and holds her hands out like he had earlier.

"You carried it all day yesterday and this morning. Just let me carry it and then I swear, you'll get it back." He straps it over his shoulders.

"_Why_ is everything so difficult?"

"You're the one who makes it that way. I'm perfectly fine holding it. You're the one with the problem."

She snorts. "Fine. Just take it."

Her legs are sore from running and walking yesterday and they're jelly from going so far today. But she will not ask to rest when the firebender is marching through the forest like it's no problem.

They stick to the trees again. Under the cover, it won't be as easy for others - if there even _are_ others - to see them there. It's the way Zuko seems to want to go and as long as she can feel the tug of the river, she's fine.

That's when she realizes it. Zuko hasn't asked anything about where they're going since they met up with the river.

He has practically taken charge now. He's the one in the front, leading her through the forest without hesitation. She hasn't told him a direction or anything - he just _went_.

They're going the direction she had planned - north and west - and that was probably why she hadn't noticed it before.

But still. Why _hadn't_ she noticed it before?

The Prince is leading her somewhere. She's been so absorbed with soreness and irritation that she hasn't even noticed until now. He knows where he's going… and she knows where she's going… but she isn't sure why they're heading on the same path…

Her eyes narrow instantly.

Testing him, she veers to the right - away from the river and deeper into the forest. Zuko notes the change instantly but she acts like she isn't paying attention to his immediate fluster.

"Where are you going? We should stick near the river." He tries to coax her back.

"I think we should go this way. Maybe there's another village where we can sell the fur and get some supplies."

"I don't think that's a good idea. Remember what happened in the last village? What makes you think that the other is going to be any different?"

"Look, firebender, we need some knives. Some _real_ knives. Since we're both adamant to keep the other prisoner and are going to be traveling through this forest for no telling how long, we should get some supplies now instead of waiting until we need them."

"But we should stick to the river so we know where we're going."

She jumps over a puddle of mud. "I'm sure we won't get too lost. You're more than welcome to keep going. I'll enjoy my time in a tavern and a real bed instead of the tree." Flashing him a smile, she sees that he's frowning. "Hope you don't run into more armadillo lions."

The Prince huffs but she knows she's won again. Smiling, she takes the lead again, journeying deeper into the forest with the firebender behind her.

-/-

**Notes: Skinning/butchering information came from: my uncles (we're a big hunting family), Colorado State University's "Cutting Up Big Game Carcass" article and wiki-how's "skinning" article. Sadly (or luckily?) I'm no expert on that. Sounds like messy, nasty business.**

**Wow! 90 reviews! Dudes - guys, gals, dolls, fish - that's freaking _awesome_. You guys are the best I swear and I give each and every one of you a huge hug. That goes to all who have favorited and followed and just READ too! Seriously. Ten thousand freakin gold stars to you all. **

**Thanks to: Geminizoe (my goodness you sure know how to make a girl blush I think I'm in love with you), Derinne (for your awesome Zuko/Katara/Aang talk and the _very_ interesting summary of a Zutara fic you read before ;) ), and every other guest reviewer. I try to reply to all reviews but it's hard to get to you anon guys. Hope you keep reading past the chapter to this! **

**If you ever want to get in contact with me and don't have a account, I'm on Tumblr (wannabewonderbender - aren't I creative?) Links are on my profile. I'm more than willing to answer any questions! Don't be shy!**

**Next update coming Saturday! **

**Review Question: Out of all the characters in ATLA, who would you want to travel through a forest with? Who would you _not_ want to travel with? **


	12. Chapter 12

_Recap: Zuko and Katara talk about Lu Ten. After a quick bath and more borderline-nice moments, Katara realizes that she hasn't told Zuko where they're going - he's just leading the way without any instructions. So she quickly reins him in and goes down a completely different path hoping to find a village somewhere. It's a full moon night - things are bound to happen._

-/-

It is sheer luck that there is a village just a few miles away.

Katara's steps are practically skips - she holds her head high as the firebender ducks his low and to the side as if he is trying to hide his scar. Like he is afraid of being recognized in this random, tiny town that appears just a bit larger than Haru's village.

No comment comes from her though. She presses her lips into a smile and keeps walking in front. Wandering through the darkening streets, she feels lighter than a feather as the sun disappears behind the buildings.

It is a full moon night. She will _finally _replenish herself completely. It's been far too long.

Katara is the one who spots the inn first. It is a dusty looking thing but it looks pleasant enough and she'd pick this over a tree branch any day. An actual bed is preferable to her little bedroll.

Zuko dips his head lower as they go in and she throws him a confused glance as they go from the dusky streets to the darkness of the tavern-inn. He's moving stiffly. His eyes keep shifting around in the room as Katara weaves her way through the tables and up to the bar.

Perhaps the odd behavior is because she's knocked him off his course? They're no longer heading in the direction that he originally planned. Maybe that's the reason why he's acting so - _Katara takes the moment to inspect him again_ - strange_._ Shifty. Like he is a thief carrying precious, missed cargo.

The Prince acting like a common criminal. Katara sniffs. How amusing.

"Two bedrooms." She's gruff. Niceness - much like with Zuko - will get her nowhere with the stout barman with the dark mustache and thick arms. "We have fur to trade."

The man's eyes wash over her. It's not much, there's the high bar in the way and she refuses to flinch even the slightest. She's got her own on him, steady and calm like she isn't walking through the Earth Kingdom with the Fire Lord's son.

"What pelt?"

Katara's tugging open the clasp of the backpack and she already has a nice-sized portion of the armadillo lion's hide stretching out on the table. She runs her hands over the fur to soothe it out, then crosses her arms over her chest so the man can feel it.

It's nice fur. Even if it's not good-quality Polar Beast.

"It's raw." The barman shakes his head as if he's disappointed. "You won't get two bedrooms in the filthiest place for _this_."

"One bedroom then." Katara replies flatly. Beside her, the firebender stiffens and he looks at her. Then he seems to remember that he's trying to hide his scar - and failing because there's people starting to look at them - and he turns his face away.

"Got anything else?"

"No. Take it or I'll go elsewhere."

The man chuckles, eyebrows rising on his small forehead. "I doubt you'd get a room anywhere with raw pelts." He runs his hands over the fur again. "But it's cut decently and it's a good size. I can get you a bedroom for a night only. Gotta be out by tomorrow evening."

"I suppose that's good enough." The waterbender sighs. "Thank you for your hospitality."

He grunts. His large, beefy hand digs around underneath the bar and he pulls out a single key. Slamming it on the table, he pushes it toward her.

"Don't break the bed."

Katara simpers, eyes bright. "Only the windows and the doors." Sokka showed her how to handle people like this.

Zuko starts coughing uncontrollably. But the man in front of her guffaws.

He removes his hand from the key. Katara takes it, pushes away from the counter. "Which room?"

"Third door on your right." He's stepping away now, another customer - more drunk than he probably should be - is commanding his attention.

She slides the edge of the key around her finger as she heads towards the stairs. When she regards Zuko, she's pleased to see that the other side of his face almost matches his scar in redness.

Apparently, she has embarrassed the little Prince.

A new sway in her hips and a coy smile on her lips, Katara strides up the steps and tries not to sashay too much. Maybe she likes teasing him more than she should.

But she's a waterbender and it's a full moon. The anticipation of the power she's going to have tonight so irresistible that she can feel herself becoming cockier and more arrogant the closer it gets to nighttime.

She's more than ready for the sky to darken. And it's not because she's going to be in a bedroom alone with the firebender breaking any beds or windows.

The room is nothing special. Not that she expected much from the looks of the outside. It's adequate, simple and rustic. A bed that's large enough for two in the corner, a small washbasin, a window - she can't help that her eyes twinkle when she sees it - and a chair.

At least it's clean. Smells a little musty. Like a man had just left and she can't have that.

Wrinkling her nose, she crosses the room to flick the latches and open the window. The dusk breeze blows in, the smell of earth more than welcome in comparison to the musk.

"I'm not sharing a bed with you," the Prince utters distastefully.

Katara peeks over her shoulder at him from where she's leaned up against the wooden wall near the window. He's still standing by the door.

"Looks like you don't have much of a choice. Unless you want to spare that last gold coin of yours to get yourself a new room."

"We have enough pelts to exchange for another."

"Those pelts are going to get us food and supplies. Since _I'm_ the one that skinned it, _I'm_ the one that decides what we're going to do with it. And I say we don't waste it just to spare your pride."

"I just think… It'd be best if we did."

Katara snorts. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"I don't have water peasant germs if that's what you're worried about." She turns from the window to face him fully. Her hands plant on her hips. "And just so we're clear, I'm not exactly _thrilled_ to be sharing a bed with you either. So you're more than welcome to make a pallet on the floor if it bothers you so much."

"Princes don't sleep on _floors_." He sneers.

"First time for everything. You might start a new tradition."

Zuko grimaces. She can see the hackles rising on his neck.

"Besides," she interjects before he can start losing his cool right then and there, "I don't plan on getting much sleep tonight. Full moon and everything." A slow, sly grin spreads across her face.

Even though she never gets to sleep on full moon nights, she still loves them. Tomorrow she will be a bit sluggish but she'd take the power surge with the drainage any day. Hopefully, the firebender doesn't know about that.

When his expression doesn't change from the grimace, Katara shrugs her shoulders and takes the bag from his hands.

"I'm going to go see if we can get any supplies while the sun is still somewhat up. You're welcome to stay and sulk in the room if you wish," she calls over her shoulder as she closes the door behind her.

The tavern below is getting busier. The men are louder, the women less dressed. Katara keeps her head up as she weaves through the growing crowd. Her first instinct is to look down and avoid eye-contact, but when it comes to these types… Sokka had always told her looking up will attract far less attention.

If she looks down, she's prey.

With a broad piece of pelt, she's able to get them a few real hunting knives - she'll need to sharpen them because they're rather dull - and a tent for when the nights get cooler, more rope, a small canteen and a skillet.

She smiles and bats her eyes as the merchant tries to sell her more things. The playfulness gets her a worn leather belt. It's used, old but it fits around her waist and she thanks him anyway. She bundles the newfound items in the backpack and latches the skillet onto the outside.

Katara nibbles on a piece of fruit that was in the pack as she meanders back to the inn. She's not in a hurry. The firebender has been grating her nerves down to nubs ever since they got off the ship. It's bad enough that she can't get her own room, now she is going to have to share one with him.

Even if it is just for a night, it still makes her fists clench at her side. Zuko - he is a piece of work. Acting all…_ annoying_. The trip back to the Northern Tribe can't be quick enough.

The inn's door is in front of her far too soon. Like before, she keeps her head high and the pack close to her back. She slides and slips through everyone easily. It's a bit busier than before, even. When the sun goes down it seems that everyone flocks to the nearest tavern.

She feels a hand brush against her backside, but the weight of the pack doesn't change and touches like that don't _really_ startle her anymore. The waterbender tenses but she keeps moving - it was probably an accident, anyway. Smells of ale and firewhiskey are strong in the air, as well as the stench of working men.

No one stops her when she goes up the stairs. She's a predator, tight shoulders and eyes that are far too perceptive to be fooled. Katara tries to ignore the clamors of heartbeats that pound in her senses.

They're too excited. And she's too strong to _not_ hear them.

It's sad to believe but the room with the sole firebender is a sanctuary when she goes in. The door slams and rattles when she closes it. Zuko, alarmed, lurches up from where he is on the bed.

It looks like he's prepared for a fight. Katara chokes down a laugh and holds up her hands in mock surrender. The pack slips down from her back and lands on the floor with a heavy thud. Seeing that it's just her, the firebender huffs and sits back down.

"Hope I didn't wake you," she teases. Katara picks up the sack and tosses it onto the bed.

Zuko scoffs. He turns so that his back is to her.

She cocks an eyebrow but doesn't speak. Just stares at him lying on the bed. Blinking, she realizes that she's been watching him for far too long. She reddens and looks away.

The window is still open so she crosses the room to throw the eaten fruit outside. Leaning against it, she watches as the streets start to clear now that it's almost dark. _Full moon._ Her eyes flick up to the sky. It's almost time.

Grinning, she closes her eyes and rests her head against the window frame. It's not even that she wants to show Zuko how powerful she can be - Katara is just so damn _anxious_ for that rush of power that she can't _stand_ it. Her palms are itching like crazy. Her heart is thumping. Her blood is running wild.

She's just _ready_. More than ready. It's similar to how she felt that night that Ji attacked her. When she had been out in the hall before Lee stopped her. She just wants the full moon to replace everything Zhao had stolen from her. She _needs _it.

The grin disappears when the cacophony of heartbeats from down below overwhelm her. Maybe deciding to throw off Zuko by coming to a village was a bad idea. Staying in a tavern inn was _certainly_ one.

So loud are the heartbeats downstairs that she doesn't even register the one directly behind her.

A startled gasp escapes her when a heated hand grabs at her right wrist. She barely has time to smash her elbow into his chest - _Zuko grunts_ - and then he snatches that one, jerking them together behind her back with her palms facing each other.

Katara wriggles - she can't bend with her hands where they are - and he gnashes his teeth as she stomps on his feet and tries to buck him away. Her hips collide against his and she manages to push him away for a fraction of a second before he's yanking at her again.

She elbows, kicks, grits, _pushes_ but he's a lot stronger than she is and she can't get her hands or feet free enough to waterbend him away.

Her elbow buries into his stomach and she pushes it up, smacking it against his chin when he finally catches it again. The heated grip is tight around her thin wrists and she can feel him squeezing so tightly that she's sure bones are popping.

The heat leaves and something cold and hard is clasped around her wrists. Katara shoves her foot into his kneecap, spins around so that she can snarl at him. He surges forward - one hot hand covering her mouth and the other pushing her chest back so that she's teetering against the open window.

The only thing stopping her from falling out of it is her legs. Her back is meeting nothing but air.

"I know what you're trying to do." He growls, eyes narrow and irritated. Zuko pushes against her more. Her hair falls completely backwards, abs straining to hold herself up as much as possible.

She's starting to shake. Her eyes are wide and she's trying to keep her breathing calm. If she can just get a leg up -

He slaps her knee down when he feels the movement. Smoke streams when he breathes out. His hands are getting warmer.

"I'm _not_ an idiot. You're trying to get me off course."

Katara's hands are buried between the wall underneath the window and her lower back. The manacles are cold - _metal_ - biting into her skin and it hurts.

But all she can think about is the fact that she's being pushed out of a window.

"You can try and imagine that we're some sort of _allies_ all you want but we're _not_. I'm still going to get you to the Fire Nation and you're still going to tell us where the Avatar is."

Her eyes are so cold they could cut glass. The blood in her veins starts to freeze. Does he think that _she_ is the deluded one? That she needs to be reminded of this?

"Just because we fought together and haven't killed each other doesn't mean that I've forgotten what I need to do. I _will_ take you to the Fire Lord."

Katara snaps at his hand with her teeth. She bites him, _hard_ and he hisses, jerking his hand free of her mouth.

"You don't think I know that?" Katara snarls. "Do you think I'm some foolish little girl? Because I'm _not_. But maybe you should be a bit more appreciative - I've saved your ass."

"I could have been cruel to you when you were my prisoner but I _wasn't_. I had _every right_ to do what Zhao did and more." Zuko presses against her. Katara dips even further outside the window. "But I _didn't_. Maybe it's _you_ who should be more appreciative."

"It's not my fault that you didn't seize the opportunity."

He gnashes his teeth together. Katara teeters further and her heart starts leaping into her throat. She tries to keep the fear out of her eyes as her body rocks in open air, the wood molding of the window digging into the back of her knees. She tries but she thinks she's failing.

It hurts. But she isn't going to let him know that.

Zuko clenches his hands around her arms. "Are you telling me that I should have done those things? That I _should_ have been brutal and sadistic?"

"I'm only telling you that it's not my fault if you didn't seize the opportunity. Not that it would have helped. I wouldn't have said _anything_ to you."

Something dark creeps into his eyes. A sinister smile that she hasn't seen before sends a chill down her spine. The firebender tilts his head down a bit, meeting her stare fully and his hair falls into his eyes.

"I'm sure we could have worked _something_ out."

Katara gulps. "_No_. No we couldn't have."

"Are you sure?" He tilts his head a little to the side. "I can be _very_ persuasive."

"You're about to push me out of a window. I'm sure this is about as persuasive as you can be." Katara tugs on the metal clamps. They're too strong to break but her fingers are free even though her hands are close together. If she tries… she _might_ be able to…

The hand on her chest presses further. Her body trembles - stomach sore from holding herself up and she can feel herself start to fall as her legs begin to slip, feet sliding on the floor.

Zuko slips his other hand underneath her back. He's supporting her just enough to make sure that she doesn't fall over the edge. But it's not enough to stop the burning in her stomach and the quiver in her body.

He's arching over her now - both of them are hanging outside the window and it's getting so dark that she wonders if anyone who happens to pass by can see them.

She's breathing. The breaths are short and shallow but it's regular. Zuko's is hot - too warm on her face and neck. She wonders if the trembles she feels are just from exertion. Then she scolds herself because _of course_ they are.

"That's only because you don't know me." His voice is lava. Warm, slick and smooth. The hand on her chest slides up to her throat. He wraps his fingers around it, squeezing just enough to give her a low warning but not enough to cut off her air.

Katara glares at him. "I don't _want_ to know you."

"I can kill you right now."

"I know." Katara swallows. "But you won't."

The firebender stares her down for a few more minutes. Eyes locked in a battle that neither is willing to give up, he is the first to break. Smoke exhales from his lips as he stands back up. The hand at her back pulls her up with him, and she sighs in relief now that she's not straining.

He's still too close though. _Way_ too close. Her spine stiffens and she wants him to back away. The waterbender refuses to move. He's the one who has her backed up against a window - _he's_ the one who should move.

"How is _this_ for cruel: I'm going to leave you here, hands shackled behind your back in a corner. The window will be open, you'll be able to see your full moon but you won't feel it on you. You won't be able to bend or anything. Just sit, wide awake, while I watch you squirm."

"_You_ - " She's cut off by him grabbing onto her elbow. He hauls her around him, flinging her into a corner where she collides against the wall. She grunts, hisses at the way her hands are pushed into her back.

When he walks towards her, she _growls_.

"Get away from me."

Zuko is a few feet away when she attacks. The manacles - they're not made for benders - if she can _just -_

Katara kicks, water from her water skin bursting out and she twists her fingers so that it comes directly towards her. It covers the chain in between the manacles and she freezes it before she _rips_ her hands apart.

It hurts, and there's a sharp, blinding pain for a second just before the metal gives. And then her hands are free. The metal is still wrapped around her wrists but the short chain is broken.

Zuko sends a flaming arc towards her and Katara ducks to the side. The water that covers her hands blocks the flames that come too close to her face.

Katara twists and the water flies off her hands as it turns to ice. The spinning wheel of iced water collides with the firebender's chest, pushing him far back where he lands on the floor near the back wall.

She keeps going while he's down. She twists and turns, pressing - _slamming _forward - forcing the ice into a solid brick with a few flicks of her fingers - and keeps pushing forward and up. She has it pressed against his chest, the force of the ice block pressing him up against the wood.

He grimaces. Katara keeps twisting. Hard, solid movements that bury the ice across his chest and pins him against the wall.

The moon starts to fuel her. Her legs stretch and her blood helps her put force into her attack. After he nearly pushed her out of the window - _spoke to her like he did_ - making him hurt feels better than it should.

Katara's hands and arms snap up and the ice at his chest forces itself up into his chin.

It's just the right hit that knocks him unconscious.

The firebender's eyes screw shut. His head lolls back then falls to the side before his body sinks to the ground in a heap.

She tries to sharpen her focus to on his heartbeat alone. It's weak, light. He's gone.

Katara unfreezes the solid block of ice and bends it back into the waterskin. The loose, short chains around her wrist clang against her forearms.

The waterbender huffs, glancing down at the manacles on her wrists. How is she supposed to get _these_ off? She checks for a lock around the side but can't find any. Great. Now she's stuck with them on until the firebender wakes.

She smirks. She _could_ wake him now…

A quick glance out the window tells her that the sun has gone completely down now. A huge smile on her face, she races over to the window and leans outside. The full moon is bright and beautiful - she beams as much as she does as she looks up at it.

_Power_. She feels strong, vigorous. Somewhere deep inside she can feel her energy stores being filled again. Stores that had vanished under Zhao's burns. She's renewed.

That means…

Katara wheels around to the Prince. He mumbles something but he's till out cold.

Her fingers and hands start to stretch, twisting and she tugs on the blood in his veins. It's a little difficult at first - the echoes of all the other heartbeats downstairs make her have to focus _harder_ on Zuko's.

But she does it. Rotating her wrists and bending her fingers, Katara tugs on the invisible strings around Zuko's body and it happens - his chests arches upwards and he rises. She reels him in, pushes him a bit to the left and then drops him. Zuko falls against the bed, head hitting the wooden headboard.

She grabs the rope from the backpack and unravels it. After a few moments and a few solid, reassuring tugs, she ties the Prince's hands above his head with his palms clasped together. They're attached to the headboard, woven through it and it's one of her better knots.

Being from the Southern Tribe and living on a ship for years has it's advantages.

Katara pulls the ice from the waterskin and cools it down so that it's almost freezing but isn't solid. Then she splashes it on Zuko's face, pulls it back in and then drenches him once more.

The water is tight around her waist as he sputters, choking on his own air as his eyes fly open in surprise.

"My, how the tables have turned." Katara taunts him. Her hands are on her hips and she is _gloating_.

The firebender that's being teased glowers in return.

"What do you think _Prince_? Am I as persuasive as you?"

"You _will_ let me go."

"That sounds like a command." She leans forward just slightly. "I don't respond to pathetic commands."

Zuko's about to kick at her and she snaps her hands back up. Her hands and fingers reach and brush against his blood before she gets a good grip on it. He freezes instantly.

"Wh-What are you doing to me?" He whispers. His eyes widen as he fights against her. Katara grits her teeth and tightens her grip on him. He's pinned to the bed by the rope and her bending.

"You should have _never_ tried to take me prisoner again."

"Waterbender -"

"_That is not my name!_" She hisses. Katara squeezes too tightly and the firebender arches forward. He's being tugged up and down at the same time and he bites his lip against the scream that she can feel building in his chest.

She lets go a little.

Her eyes close and she takes in a deep breath. On the bed, Zuko's eyes are wider and she can feel his heart start to race. Panic. It feels delicious.

"You're… _inside_ me."

"I'm in your blood." Katara waves her fingers and he's forced into an upright position. It's uncomfortable. The way that she tied his hands means that he can't sit up too far. But it proves her point and she waves them again, letting him lie back down.

The firebender swallows.

"I could kill you right now. I could be _cruel_ and _sadistic_ like Zhao - like _you_. But I won't because I'm not a monster." Katara can feel her blood start to freeze. _She needs to regain control. _

"You're in my blood. You're _controlling _me."

"Let's get one thing straight here, firebender. You're _my_ prisoner now. This isn't your ship. This isn't your nation. This isn't your _anything_. _I'm _the one in charge here. _Me_ - not you. I'm the jailer now and it'd be best for you to accept that right now."

He breathes out smoke. His body tenses. "And if I don't?"

Katara lets a smile that looks like the one he had given her earlier slide across her lips with the ease of water. "I'll force you all the way to the Tribe." She tugs on the strings and he snaps up again. He hisses at the pain in his shoulders. Katara pushes him back down into the mattress.

There's so much force behind it that his head bangs against the headboard.

"Do I make myself clear?" She asks. Katara twists her wrist again and his body tightens. Just to prove a point, of course. It's not just because seeing him grimace in pain makes her feel exhilarated. _But it does. _"Where did you get the cuffs?"

She isn't even sure if he's going to bother replying, but after a moment of waiting, he does. "Bought them with the last coin. You shouldn't leave prisoners alone."

Katara rolls her eyes. "Money well spent."

Zuko's jaw is taunt. He's grunting, tugging at the ropes over his head but they're not giving. She sees a spark of fire and she grips at him tighter to prevent him from firebending. He struggles but she's the stronger one this time.

"Don't try to firebend. It's only going to be painful."

Watching him carefully, Katara eases her grip back. The strings that connect her to him blood drop from her fingers. He relaxes somewhat but he's still tense.

The waterbender doesn't turn away when she goes to stand by the window. The moon's light bathes against her skin. She relaxes against the window molding, arms crossed over her chest.

Zuko doesn't try to firebend.

"You'll regret this," he spits out.

Katara quirks an eyebrow. "Don't be a sore loser, firebender."

"You're crazy."

"You attacked me first."

"You're a _witch._"

That makes her tense up. Katara looks away from the moon to fix him with a strong glare. "Come up with better insults. I've heard that one before." She turns her attention back to the empty streets. "I've heard them all before," she adds quietly.

He snaps his lips together. She can hear his heartbeat. It's a pounding, hard beat that feels and sounds like one of those loud earthquakes earthbenders make. She focuses on it. If he starts firebending, she'll need to know _before_ he starts trying to burn her.

It stays steady. That same violent beat that should shatter his bones.

"You picked the wrong night." She can't resist. She _has_ to rub her victory in. It's probably one of the things that she shouldn't do, but he had been so arrogant and condescending.

Maybe this will knock him down a few notches. Then he might be somewhat agreeable.

The waterbender stays awake that night. The full moon keeps her fully energized and she can't imagine closing her eyes for a moment. Zuko keeps his eyes open for as long as he can. But she can tell that her bending made him tired and he lolls off to sleep an hour or two past midnight.

Katara keeps herself entertained by playing with the water wrapped around her waist. She eventually tries to slice through the manacles around her wrists and it works. She's freed and the metal clangs when it lands on the floor.

After getting bored with that, she reaches out to hear the sluggish heartbeats of the drunks downstairs. She contemplates joining them, but she's not going to leave the firebender without a minder.

So she stays propped up on the window with the water streaming around her hands. Katara does a little target practice for a bit. Aiming and hitting targets that get further and further away entertain her for a bit.

It's weird. Having a full moon and not being able to _do_ anything.

She's used to battles during the full moon. Battles or spars on the deck of ships. Pakku, Hama and Sangok - after a bit of coaxing - were the only ones who ever sparred against her. The majority of Northern benders didn't care for her southern-heavy style. Or the fact that she was a woman.

The North had the blessing of having more than enough men warriors and female healers that they didn't have to interchange. The South didn't have that luxury. Hama and Katara were the last two free southern benders.

Both practiced the two bending arts. And… the third unofficial bending art.

She almost wakes Zuko up for a bit of fighting. That... might get out of hand and she'd rather not deal with blows meant to kill.

She's not sure if he is going to hold back when they _do_ have to leave. Katara sighs and bends the water back into the waterskin. She watches the sun come up with her arms crossed over her chest.

The night had been so long and dull that she's almost _happy_ when the firebender stirs.

But then his eyes open. They're bleary at first. When they skirt over her though, the ambers turn into coal and narrow as he fixes her with a heated glare.

Great. She's going to really have to watch her back now.

With a cheerful smile, she straightens from the windowsill and goes around the bed. Zuko watches her. His heartbeat is steadier than it was yesterday. Her fingers reach out - she doesn't miss the way he winces - and she brushes them over the knots in the rope.

"Are you going to be _good_ today, firebender?" She keeps her voice soft. It'll drive him crazy. She just _knows._

Sure enough, the frown dips into a scowl and all of the hostility of yesterday returns. _Fun_. She smiles.

"Remember my warnings." She moves one hand in front of his face to repeat the familiar gestures. Zuko tenses, but she doesn't pull at him. Not yet.

He glares at her. She can just imagine the fire daggers piercing her skin but they don't hurt. They make her grin grow because she's _winning_. She's getting to him. She's doing it far more quickly and far better than he is to her.

After a few moments, the firebender gives a jerky nod. Katara's fingers slip through the knots easily and they're off. She coils the rope back up before pushing it into the bag.

He's standing quicker than she expected. Katara can tell his arms are sore and the bags under his eyes are dark. Good - she's weak today and he is exhausted. Looks like neither one of them will be making any death movements today.

"Now that you know where we stand, I guess we can go back to the river." Katara makes sure all of their things are in the bag. They don't have much. But it's enough to miss something if it's lost. "And we're going _my_ way."

-/-

**A/N:** The support means EVERYTHING you guys! Thanks so much and keep it coming. Seriously - I can't stress how much it helps!

Derinne: All reviewers are my favorites! Especially those like you who leave such wonderful reviews :D I'm glad you were grossed out by the skinning scene. Wasn't particularly fun to discuss when I was doing a bit of research! Ty Lee and Suki would be fun. Ty Lee might be a bit annoying though, she's pretty peppy. Suki would be an awesome hunter.

Guest (the Katara comment): It's okay if you find her a bit annoying! Totally understood. It's okay and actually a really good thing if characters themselves start affecting emotions - whether you're loving or hating them, doesn't matter - and that's actually a huge compliment! I like to think of characters as people so _naturally_ they're going to have those faults. Katara's just happens to be that she's a bit of a bee-yotch at times. Totally cool.

I like how a lot of you replied that you'd travel with Appa or Aang strictly because of Appa. My kind of people ;)

Feel free to ask questions on my tumblr: wannbewonderbender.

**Review Question:** Which master/instructor was your favorite in ATLA?


	13. Chapter 13

The bartender from last night must have liked her. When she tells him they're leaving, he slides her a small flask of what looks like liquor across the table and winks. She picks it up, uncapping it before taking a whiff. _Firewhiskey._

"Hope you didn't mess up any windows," he teases. He's happy - customers from last night must have tipped. She knows they certainly drank well.

Katara flashes him a grin. "Oh, you can't even imagine _what_ we did to that window."

Just like yesterday, he barks out a laugh. The firebender behind her stiffens, crossing his arms over his chest.

She tucks the flask into her backpack. She's never tried firewhiskey - she was always fine with the ales and the beers of the Tribes - but it might be nice when she gets back on the ship. She'll save it for a little _celebration party_.

The waterbender leads the way out. Zuko keeps close though, and she notices that he's walking with his head tilted to the side again. She furrows her brow. Is he trying to hide his scar? Didn't he notice how that did not work yesterday?

Katara slows, lets him slide up beside her. "When you try to hide you just bring further attention to yourself. Just walk - not like you own the world or anything - but like you just don't care."

She realizes that sounds like advice. So with a sneer, she adds, "Didn't they teach you _anything_ in that damned castle?"

He scowls. _There_. Now she feels a bit better.

She's aware that Zuko walks with his head up when they make it to the streets outside of the inn.

Katara leads them the way they came yesterday. This trip might have taken them off course but it did help. Not only did they have supplies - _soap_, thank Spirits - but Zuko finally understands that the roles are reversed here.

There are no more questions.

He has also proven to her that he isn't giving up either. He is just as eager to get her to the Fire Nation as she is to get him to the Water Tribes.

The bloodbending will set him back though. He flinches when she moves her hands. For some reason, the smirk isn't as big as the one she had last night when he did the same.

Neither one of them lead the way through the miles of forest back to the river. They walk side-by-side. Katara would lead - she'd _rather_ lead - but she doesn't trust the firebender to stay behind her. Even if she can feel his heartbeat.

She assumes Zuko feels the same. He stays close enough and he glances over at her out of the corners of his eyes when he thinks she's not paying attention.

She wonders if he's aware that she does the same every few feet.

They rest for a brief moment when it's noon. Katara nibbles at some jerky and Zuko eats fruit in silence. The waterbender has never found trees so interesting before. She signals that they're about to leave by standing, slinging the backpack on and walking away from where they sat.

Katara thinks they more than made up for yesterday's detour when they finally make a camp. Her legs are jelly and the firebender winces as he collapses on the ground. She doesn't even bother to smirk at that though, because she knows that the grimace on her face is more than enough to match his as she slides on top of the bedroll.

She eats a mango while her eyes start to close. Zuko is staring up at the sky when she risks a glance at him. They don't even start a fire. They're just so...exhausted.

The firebender watches her warily as she forces herself up to climb a tree. She notices with some amusement that after a few moments, he starts to do the same. There's a good bit of distance between them but she can still make out his shape in the dark because of the moon.

Katara straps herself down on the tree, muscles aching and legs slack and she isn't as high as she'd like but this will have to do.

She forces herself to stay awake until Zuko's heart starts to slow into a dull, sleeping rhythm.

Katara dreams of more red. Except this time, the blood that she feels in her hands is cold and sticky.

She wakes up feeling horrified.

-/-

"What you did to me night before last," his voice makes her jump. She almost walks right into a tree. "I… I've never seen - or _heard_ - of anyone doing it before." The glance he gives her is wary. As if she's going to demonstrate the technique again.

They managed to start out just as dawn broke. Zuko and she had both been silent as they packed up their things and started walking. They didn't even speak at lunch. His shoulders were still tense, eyes still flickering over to watch hers when he thought she wasn't looking at him.

So she's surprised when it's _him_ that starts the conversation. Even if it is something that she isn't sure she'd like to talk about with him.

She shrugs her shoulders like it's no big deal. "Doesn't surprise me. I don't know many who can do it."

Adding that only she and one other waterbender knows how to bloodbend doesn't seem smart right now. So she holds that part back.

A beat. His throat moves when he gulps. "Have you used it before?"

Katara turns her head to look at him. When he realizes that she's staring at him, he meets her eyes. Curiosity, some fear… hesitation and intrigue. _Interesting_.

"I have," she says honestly. Anger flashes in his eyes. "But I wasn't able to on the ship." She can't help it - something about that anger and hostility makes her want to clear that part up.

Why she's trying to soothe him, she doesn't know.

The anger leaves his eyes completely and he almost looks relieved. Wondering why he even asked, Katara asks, "Why?"

"Ji." He replies without hesitation. "I didn't know."

_Red_. Katara blinks. "No. I, uh, didn't bloodbend Ji." She just used his blood to suffocate the other guard. That - just like the information about how many bloodbenders there are - is definitely _not_ something she's going to tell him.

"Why not?"

"I wasn't strong enough then. I was still weak bending wise." Katara puts her hand on a tree to steady herself when she walks over a large and slipper log. "It's...complicated."

"It's not right." Zuko is tensing up again. "Taking over someone's body. It's just -"

"So is burning someone to the point where they could be served for dinner," she interrupts. "Don't try to give me a morality lesson. You firebenders are no better."

"So you admit that _bloodbending_ is wrong?"

Now she's the one who pauses. "It's a gift just like any other kind of bending. If we're going by that, shouldn't all bending be wrong?"

"But you're taking over someone's body. You're...inside them. There's no free will, no control."

"I think it's the same as torturing someone with bending to get them to talk." She gives him a pointed glare. "How is what I do any different?"

The firebender clenches his jaw. "It just _is_."

"No. It's not."

Two miles later and the silence is thick again. Except this time, there's some added tension.

She tries not to feel angry. Really, she does. And after they walk a while, that anger ebbs away into simple annoyance. She's had problems understanding bloodbending herself with all of the Northerners' disapproval. She _certainly_ doesn't need the firebender's, too.

Is it really so different? Bloodbending - it's like normal bending. Just...more personal? She is far more aware of those around her because of it - and sometimes it drives her crazy - but really it's the same as her waterbending.

_Right?_

Hama believed that easily. Then again, she had a reason to believe in it. It helped her defeat Fire Nation Raiders when they began their aggressive campaigns to conquer the Southern Tribes. Katara had gotten out of a few sticky situations but it never came down to life-or-death.

No. Katara stops herself right there. It was _always_ life or death when it came to the Fire Nation. Pakku, someone who didn't approve entirely of bloodbending, admitted that it had it's uses.

"It's monstrous, you know," Zuko interrupts her thoughts. She almost doesn't know what he's talking about. They've been walking in the quiet for nearly an hour.

Monstrous. She stiffens. Katara's heard it all before but hearing it from _him _is different.

How _dare _he. _How dare he! _This firebender - a man who held her _prisoner_, who had narrowly avoided pushing her out the window just the night before - has the audacity to call _her_ a monster. It just -

"You don't know anything," she snarls, "so don't pretend that you do. I'm no more _monstrous_ than you firebenders. Or are you really ignorant about what you precious soldiers do?"

He opens his mouth to reply but she's not having that.

"No, you know what? It's not even just that. What's _monstrous _isn't my bloodbending - _monstrous_ is your raiders burning huts down with innocent children still inside. _Monstrous _is when you have to watch as defenseless nonbenders are boiled alive in front of their family just because they're not Fire Nation.

"_Monstrous _is dragging benders away and locking them in your floating prisons where they're never seen or heard from again. _Monstrous_ is what your kind did to the Air Nomads. Your people have single-handedly obliterated one _entire_ race, decimated another and are quickly working on making sure there are no earthbenders left. So don't talk to me about being monstrous because I do what it takes to survive in the world that _your kind_ created. Don't you _dare._"

Her face is red. They've stopped. Blood crazy and hear pounding, it takes her a second to feel her finger bury itself in his chest.

He's looking at her. Face blank.

The waterbender sneers. "I can take my own kind calling me a monster. But you have _no right_. No damned right." She pushes her entire hand against his chest, forcing him away from her. "Call me that again and I'll show you how monstrous I can be."

"You think I'm ignorant of what my kind has done?" Zuko's eyes flash with anger and he's pushing on _her_ chest now. "I'm _very_ well aware. But are _you_ aware of your own? You try to tell me that _I _don't know about what's going on but I think it's _you_ who's blind."

Katara knocks his hands away and pushes him back. Anger chokes her. It has a grip on her throat and she can feel her blood freeze. Eyes cold, she wishes the full moon was back so she could make him _kneel_.

"You may _know_ but you've never seen it. You've never _felt _it. I'd like to see _you_ on the other side of what your so-called Fire Lord calls _fair_ and _just_ and _natural_. If we're going to talk about monstrous and unnatural things - let's talk about _your sins_ even though you're so focused on _mine_."

He reddens. _Fury._ "You - You are an idiotic _girl_ if you think that you're so innocent! The Fire Nation has their faults but don't act as if your resistance is any better!"

"Well then I'll be sure to tell them! I'm sure they'd be _thrilled_ to hear what the Fire Nation Prince has to say about them!"

His hands flame. Katara starts to tug at the water in her waterskin. If he attacks, she'll be prepared.

"What about the attacks on the colonies? Your warriors don't even try to differentiate between Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. You just _attack_ blindly!"

"People die in wars. It's the only thing you can count on! What about when the firebenders burned down the forest on Whale Tail Island? More than half of those people starved to death as punishment for not paying their taxes!"

"They weren't just _not paying taxes_ - they were harboring Fire Nation enemies!"

"They were _earthbenders_ who were so old they couldn't _do_ anything! Is your kind really so weak and insecure that they have to round up benders of all age just to feel _safe_?"

"It doesn't matter how old they were. The benders were masters and the islanders broke the law. Without law, there can be no order." He swallows. "What about when your resistance slaughtered nearly ever firebender in Makapau? Men, women _and_ children. All _dead._"

Katara sneers. "Enemy casualties are expected." She doesn't mention that she refused to speak to her father for weeks after hearing of the slaughter. Hakoda hadn't been the one who organized it but he sure hadn't tried to stop it.

"What about the earthbenders who died on the Northerner's raid of Lao Ping island?"

"What about the massacre of Full Moon Bay?"

"Jang Hui Island?"

"Huang Sha?"

"_Just face it _- the Fire Nation isn't innocent but neither is your resistance."

The waterbender who has a heated hand shoving into her chest growls. "Maybe so. But we haven't tried to wipe out entire nations of people."

"_Enemy casualties are expected._" He throws her words back in her face with a false smile.

Her palms itch. Her blood is heavy with ice.

"You're not even worth the reply." Katara lips curl up and she pivots away, stalking through the forest to get away from him before she does something that she'll regret later. Specifically, something involving freezing his entire body until he turns blue.

Strong fingers wrap around her arm and she's yanked back. "I'm the _Prince_ of the _Fire Nation._"

Her fingers tug at the water in the skin and she slaps him across the face with a water-frozen hand. The blow is solid - enough to snap his head to the side but he doesn't let go. His hands flames - bright searing pain lacing through her frozen blood and she screams.

Zuko doesn't let go. If anything, he squeezes tighter. He's glaring at her now - one side of his face red from her cold slap and his lips twisted into a sneer.

Katara's blood pulses, racing to heal the arm that he's burning. She panics - she doesn't have enough time or energy to fight him off he keeps boiling her like that - and it hurts _so much_ that if he doesn't -

- Zuko lets go. When he shoves her away from him, her back collides with a tree.

Before he can make another move, she launches a water whip into his chest. But the firebender blocks it with a fire whip and suddenly they're battling.

Ice discs, fire balls. Water whips and flaming punches.

She cuts through his high arcs and he punches through her water snaps. Zuko will try to burn her with multiple fire darts that she blocks with a wave of her hand. She careens ice icicles at his chest that he obliterates with a flaming thrust of his heel.

They're getting nowhere.

But Katara is tiring. She's weak from healing her arm and from bloodbending the night before. Zuko is strong and the sun is his. Her moon is gone.

She rises with the moon, but he rises with the sun.

Katara manages to suck up more water from weeds around her but it's not enough to completely block all of Zuko's sweeping fire kick.

The heat of the fire forces her to shy away instinctively - _fire burns_ - the shield ignored and dropping just in time to ignite the branches above her.

Panic - she _can't stop it_ - and she tries to move the water back to her as quickly as possible to douse the flames -

- the firebender launches another flaming arc - smoke burns in the air and the tree is crackling over her head but she has to block Zuko's attack or she _will_ die. Her focus and energy is divided and she doesn't have enough water to -

The branch snaps. Katara's eyes fly open as she lunges forward, rolls on the ground and her stomach and forehead crash against a stout tree trunk. All of her breath is pushed out of her at once and she starts to feel a little dizzy.

But there's no more fire.

The branch lands right where she had stood not two seconds ago.

Zuko seems to realize how _close_ he had been to killing her - burning her and crushing her underneath ignited branches - because he doesn't try to attack her here where she's most vulnerable.

She can't say she'd do the same if the situations were reversed. And that makes her angry. The firebender - he _hates_ her. He shouldn't let her just lie here so that she can catch her breath and attack him again.

Head aching, she rolls over onto her back. She stares up at the branches - not burning - above her. Her stomach pounds in time with her head, both keeping rhythm with her heart.

Why isn't he attacking her? She's dazed - stomach twisting - and she's tired. So tired. Bending after a full moon is normally...very unpleasant. She can feel blood slip down her face from her nose but she can't bother herself to lift a hand and wipe it away.

Katara waits, only vaguely aware of how steady his heart is beating in comparison to her own. Her's is anticipating an attack. His isn't preparing for one.

_Why isn't he attacking her?_

Hot hands grab at her arms again and he hauls her up. Legs, weak and unable to find purchase on the ground, swing aimlessly as her eyes slide close from vertigo. Zuko pushes her up against the tree - with more force than necessary - and she can't hide her hiss when her head hits the bark.

Her feet finally touch the ground but she can barely hold herself up. She's so dizzy and tired and her head hurts and her arms burn from where he's holding her body to the tree that she can barely stand.

The firebender grasps her wrists and turns them against the tree. He's making sure that she won't try to bend him.

He doesn't know that she couldn't bloodbend right now even if she tried. Not unless she wanted to pass out after a few short seconds.

"Don't _ever_ try to place yourself above me, _peasant_."

"Funny how that offends you more than anything else." Katara tries to shift. Zuko presses against her harder. "Issues much? Concerns about your _place_ in your little palace?"

His face reddens. She can't help but grin because she's just discovered one of Zuko's insecurities. How will she exploit _that_?

Katara doesn't try to move again. "I hear that you have a sister. A firebending prodigy, so I've been told. Scared that your dad might like her more than you?"

"_Be careful, waterbender_," he hisses. The hands wrapped around her wrist grow hot but she tries to ignore it.

She wants to break him. Anger him. Make him lose control.

It's not the smartest thing she's ever wanted to do. But she _wants_ it - needs it to justify everything that she can and will do. The bloodbender in her has always reveled in a little bit of power struggle. And this conversation right here is nothing but that.

"I wonder why he sent _you_ on this grand mission to capture the Avatar when she would probably be able to actually succeed where you've failed." _Wait._ "That's it, isn't it? He _wants_ you to fail."

Zuko growls. Her wrists burn. But she can't heal herself - she's too weak - so she tries to block out the pain because she can _feel_ him slipping. If she doesn't push him now, she might not be able to again.

So she laughs instead of cries from the pain. "I wonder why that is, _Prince_. I wonder why he wants you to fail just like Lu Ten did in Ba Sing Se. Think your fates will be the same?"

She's still laughing - a sadistic edge to it as the flames on her wrists burn bright orange - and Zuko finally breaks. She feels it in his heart before she feels it on her skin.

There's a heated flash of agony - heat searing up her entire body through her veins and the laugh chokes into a gasp before her eyes burn and her vision turns orange. _Pain. _Orange. Everything is burning.

Black slams away the orange. The heat recedes.

Her eyes are closed and she sags against the tree. The last thing she feels isn't pain - it's his warm fingers around her wrists.

-/-

Something is tugging at her body and that's what jolts her awake.

At first, she keeps her eyes closed. The black fades into grey, edging into paler territory before bursting into white. Then it fades back into darkness and there's a low throb in the back of her head.

Her wrists ache. Her mouth is dry. She's weak.

Slowly, she peels open her eyes and at first she wonders if she's gone blind because all she can see is more darkness. Then her sight starts to focus and adapts and she sees a bit of orange and yellow glow somewhere to her left.

It's nighttime. The moon's pull has woken her up.

There's a heartbeat over near the fire and she can feel the warmth on the bare skin of her arm. She shifts. The scratchy blanket underneath her doesn't feel good.

Katara turns her head to look at the fire. She knows Zuko had to lay her down on the blanket, otherwise how else would she have moved from the tree to here? But that doesn't explain _why_ he would do something like that.

The firebender in question is sitting on the opposite side of the fire. He's staring at the flames - orange and red like his fire - and her movement makes those eyes flick to hers.

He tenses. Waiting for her backlash of fury at not only being pushed to the point of exhaustion, but also at having been touched by him.

But she doesn't feel angry. She just feels confused. He stares at her with tension in his shoulders for a few more moments before realizing that she isn't going to attack him and then he relaxes. A little.

The moon is in her veins and she probably could bend right now. Doing that, though, will set him off and she wants to know _why_. She needs him relaxed and vulnerable for that.

Katara sits up, palms against the blanket so that she can get some support underneath her shaking body. It takes her a few moments and when she's up she's out of breath.

She brings her hands back around into her lap and that's when she notices it. The shackles are gone. Replacing those are strips of black fabric wrapped around her wrists.

Her body tenses. He had tried to heal her?

"I almost killed you. _Again_." Zuko says. Her head snaps up from her wrists to look at him. He's staring at the fire again. His shoulders are heavy.

"I goaded you." Katara can't stop herself. He looks regretful - the shadows under his eyes are not from the fire. For some reason, she wants to tell this man that she hates that it wasn't his fault. Well, that it wasn't _completely_ his fault.

"I'm not Zhao."

"I know you're not."

"But I keep trying to kill you." He rubs his hands through his hair. He still hasn't looked back up at her. "I keep trying to _hurt_ you."

"I'm doing the same. Yet I don't feel guilty about it." _Lie_. "So why should you? We're enemies and in a war, firebender. It's expected."

That catches his attention.

"Never try to apologize to me." Katara moves so that she is sitting with the fire warming her chest instead of her side. It also helps her look at him. "Because I will _never_ apologize to you."

Zuko's eyes go blank. That regret she had seen earlier is gone, replaced by something that is as cold as her ice darts. He stands and stalks away from her, disappearing into the forest.

Watching him go hurts her for some reason - he's right, all they've been trying to do is kill each other. But _she's_ right in that's what they're supposed to be doing. Both of them have tried numerous times to establish that they are _not_ in any way allies.

They are enemies. And she thought that their numerous battles and bickering would have solidified that. She believed that his hatred of her and her bloodbending would further prove that they are not - and never will be - friends in this.

Because they are at war. She hates his kind. She hates his fire. She hates his destruction. She hates his rage. His temper. His bloodline. She hates _him_.

It's just like how he hates _her_ kind. He hates _her_ water and ice, her destruction and her temper. How she goads him into boiling her until she slips into unconsciousness.

Hatred is the only thing that they should be feeling for each other. Yet, Katara can't help but feel that some part of her is softening and that worries her.

She's tried to appease his sense of guilt far too many times. That's not something she normally does to someone that she hates.

She brings her knees up to her chest and buries her fingers in her loosening hair. This - _all_ of this - is too complicated. She should have left him on that ship.

None of it makes sense. And she doesn't know _why_.

Fire and water do not mix. Her moon will never be in the sky with his sun. Their kinds don't mix. They never will. Hatred will always be between them and that used to be the only ground she could stand on.

But now that ground is shifting. His kindness - him taking her to the pallet after he almost killed her, his insistence on carrying the backpack when he saw her sagging shoulders, his tenderness when he held her healing hand, his concern when she was drenched in Ji's blood - it's making things hazy.

_Why_. After the way she treated him last night and his harsh words through the day, it just doesn't add up.

She's swimming in lava and she can't keep going like this.

Because fire and water do not mix. They are not meant to be allies. They are opposite - water drowns fire and fire evaporates water.

So _why_ are they being so kind?

Katara thinks back to just before he lost control. It's difficult because her mind just wants to focus on the sharp pains of her wrists burning, but she pushes past that to what she had said. What he had looked like as she said it.

Hurt. Anger. Betrayal. Zuko had let it all show before she slipped into blackness. He really _was_ concerned about his place in the Palace. He _did_ look at capturing the Avatar as his only way to secure his spot in the Royal line.

And then he had almost killed her. _That_ explained some of his guilt. She was the only way he could actually even get close to who he wanted. If he killed her, all of that would be lost.

He wouldn't have a chance to prove himself.

If she dies - especially by his own hands - everything that he wants would be pulled out of his reach completely.

The Avatar is important to him not only because he was the _Avatar_, but also because Zuko sees it as the only way to _not_ be like his cousin.

And she's what is between him and his throne.

She wonders what it is like. To be afraid of a father so much to go on a desperate manhunt to ensure that one isn't banished from home.

Her father would never do that. They have had their differences - bloodbending, attacks and raids to name a few - but she has always had a home.

The firebender… he doesn't have that. There is no security where he is. And that...isn't right.

A part of her feels for him. But that part is immediately overshadowed by the fact that he is fire and still her enemy. It doesn't matter what his intentions are, his backstory. No matter how sad it is, it's not her concern.

She must win. She _has_ to win this. If not for the Avatar and the resistance, but for herself.

It's the only way that she can prove her ice is superior to his fire.

-/-

She's already fallen asleep by the time he gets back. The healing, the bloodbending and the frustration over her own internal monologue made her close her eyes and before she knew it, the moon offered her a reprieve.

She senses his heartbeat and she opens her eyes, watching him as he walks back into the light. He looks over at her - she snaps her eyes closed - and she hears him move around a bit. Katara peeks out from between her lashes. He's straightening out his pallet.

He rolls over onto his side. She stares at his back.

The firebender flips over, looking up at the trees that shade their little camp.

"You're right, you know." Zuko's voice makes her jump even though she was watching him. He turns his head to look at her through the weakening fire. This time, she doesn't close her eyes, she opens them further. "I don't want to end up like Lu Ten. But… right now, it looks like I might."

She doesn't say anything. She isn't sure what he wants her to say.

"Azula _is_ father's favorite. She was born lucky." He turns his face away from her. She doesn't look away from him. "But she _can not_ get the throne. That's why I have to get the Avatar. If I don't… this world _will_ burn."

"It already is."

He looks up, meeting her eyes again and she's surprised at the determination in them. He's not hiding this time - he _wants_ her to see it. For some reason, this is important. Somehow, Azula getting the throne makes him more scared than anything that she's seen before.

Maybe Azula is the one the rebellion needs to worry about. If they can get to her...

"You sure about that?"

"The world is dying. Haven't you noticed? Something isn't right here - and I think that something is the Fire Nation as a whole, not just one girl."

"I know," he nods. "I know the balance is off and _everything_ is...is rebellion because..." This time, _he_ swallows. "But if Azula wins this - if I were to disappear - it would not help you at all. It'll just make things worse."

Katara turns away. Zuko is worried about Azula - but at the same time, Katara wonders if the firebender is just toying with her somehow. It wouldn't be the first time.

So, she turns away from him, her back to the fire as she lays on the pallet. "That's where you're wrong. Things can't get any worse."

-/-

**A/N:** Decided to post this now instead of on Saturday. Have an _insane_ weekend planned and didn't want to leave you guys hanging! (pray that I won't do anything too stupid)

So how about we had a huge snowpocalypse this week and I've NEVER seen snow before. Guys, I can't even _tell you_ how awesome it was. Just beautiful and cold and wonderful. (but now it's all melted and that makes me sad and everything is sort of disgusting outside now)

LOVE reading y'all's reviews! I replied to them later than expected this time. Internet has been shady here with the snow and everyone flipping their lids over it. Kepp them coming! They're FANTASTIC motivators :D

_Derinne_: Glad that you are appeased :) I LOVE writing their fights. (except in this chapter because the focus is on what they're talking about, not necessarily what they're doing) so I'm glad you liked that part! And yeah, after all that time in the woods _something_ need to happen. Might not be the _something_ we all wanted (because hey, bed, inn, _soap_, liquor right downstairs...) Piandao is my favorite too! He was so awesome in the White Lotus battle in Ba Sing Se.

_HellzYeah_: Azula is an awesome character. When she did fall, I didn't even feel _glad _like I did with Ozai. I just felt so...unsettled. I think that's what makes her such a cool character. She's the one you love to hate. (don't worry about repetition with compliments or comments keep them coming regardless) And Aw! YAY. I'm happy that you like the slow pace of their relationship. Was a little worried that it was going _too fast_ (because hey, these two hate each other and they're not going to be holding hands around a campfire anytime soon singing kumbaya anytime soon) They both might be a little sadistic. War is tough business. They don't mind putting the other in pain even if it does bother them afterwards.

Was genuinely surprised with all of the Piando lovers on here. I was thinking everyone was going to go the Iroh route haha.

Don't forget: I'm also on tumblr. So if you have any q's that need a's fast, hit me up there. Link is on profile.

**Review Question: If you could live anywhere in the Avatar world (pre-LOK), where would you want to live?**


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